


Danganronpa 3 Rewrite: Mr Munakata's Lessons

by K8wolfx



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Dangan Ronpa 3 Spoilers, Gen, Mostly focuses on Munakata and how he deals with being a teacher for the quirky 77th class, Munakata is a serious teacher, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, POV First Person, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2018-10-22 18:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10702443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K8wolfx/pseuds/K8wolfx
Summary: What would happen if Yukizome and Munakata switched places? So, Yukizome would be overseeing the overseas expansion of Hope's Peak Academy while Munakata would be teaching the 77th Class about hope and bonding. Requested by Shiranai Atsune.





	1. Hello Again, Hope's Peak High School

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShiranaiAtsune](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShiranaiAtsune/gifts).



> Hello, K8wolfx here! This is another story request from Shiranai Atsune! The prompt was this: "Munakata x Yukizome roleswap. What if Munakata and Yukizome switch roles? As in... Munakata was Ultimate Housekeeper while Yukizome was the Ultimate student Council President. Or, what if Munakata was the one who became Hope's Peak teacher in order to infiltrate and investigate, rather that Yukizome?"
> 
> As much as I'm sure everyone would love to see Munakata flounce around in a flowing pink apron (upupupupup~), I decided to do the second part of the prompt so I could keep this as close to in-character as possible. So for this story, Munakata is the main character on a quest to better connect with his students and stop the despair that he comes across.
> 
> By the way, this is not related to the events in my other rewrite "The Togami Plot" so you can definitely read this one without having to go read the other one first. I mean, I would like it if you read both but you don't have to so...yeah. Each chapter will be in order of the episodes so expect there to be somewhere around 12 chapters depending on how much I decide to change.
> 
> Anyways, I'm sorry for these long ass author's notes. There is a story down below that is far more important than my incessant babbling so get to it! Enjoy~!

They say that a good leader is someone who you would follow to the ends of the Earth. Another thing they say about leaders is that they can get some of the most simple-minded people to do the greatest things. When it comes to Hope's Peak Academy students, however, it is a completely different story.

You have to understand that these students are no ordinary students. They were born with amazing abilities that help them succeed in their designated gifted field. I should know; I used to be one of them. The teachers who teach these bright young students have a lot of difficulties. Behind every talented student, there must be a talented teacher. A teacher who can instruct the students in an orderly fashion and keep them grounded when needed; who can control their outrageous attitudes and lead them to a brighter tomorrow; who can find a way to help them rise above their own expectations and limits. If a person like this existed, they would be the best teacher these students could hope for.

So, I thought I might give it a try.

"Munakata," The headmaster announced as I stood in front of his desk. He had his hands clasped in front of him, his thumb nervously stroking at his other fingers. "I am assigning you to be assistant homeroom teacher to the first group of the 77th class."

"Yes sir, Headmaster Kirigiri." I nodded. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for.

"You've only just graduated, so it may be difficult despite the fact that you are the Ultimate Student Council President, but I'm counting on you." In the background, Kizakura burps distastefully. Principal Kirigiri buries his head in his hands and sighs, "Kizakura!"

"Sorry, sorry." Kizakura coughed, trying to clear his throat. His voice sounded weak, like he was straining himself to speak. Nevertheless, he still had an apologetic smile on his face as he spoke. "I had a bit too much to drink last night."

"Sorry." Headmaster Kirigiri turned his attention to me as Kizakura tried to keep himself from vomiting. "As you can see, the homeroom teacher isn't too serious, so I think you may have some trouble…"

Kizakura grinned and gave me a cheerful wave. "Feel free to treat the class like it's your own!"

"I will." I told him. "Don't push yourself too hard today."

"Don't worry about me," He replied, waving me off in a lighthearted manner. "You should hurry to class. I should warn you, they can be a little reckless sometimes. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Considering how you can hardly move without vomiting, I think I can watch over the class for a few hours with no problem." I responded. "Did you forget who I am? This may be hopeless for any ordinary man, but I can do it."

"True, very true," Kizakura shrugged, "As expected of the Ultimate Student Council President."

"In any case," The headmaster smiled politely. "I wish you the best of luck on your first day."

I uttered a quick 'thank you' and left his office. When I looked at the clock, I realized I had about fifteen minutes until class started. Not wanting to be late on my first day of teaching, I walked briskly to my assigned teaching area, Class 1-B, wondering if the class would be as reckless as Kizakura had said.

"Munakata hasn't changed a bit since his student days…" As soon as Munakata left, Kizakura got up from his seat on the couch and decided to lean on the end of Kirigiri's desk instead.

"No," Kirigiri agreed promptly.

"Now then… I hear it was Munakata's idea." Kizakura continued. "That he wanted to try being a teacher to gain more leadership experience."

"Yeah," He nodded. "He insisted we take him if we were short on staff."

"The expansion process must be really boring if he decided he wanted to teach a bunch of high school students." Kizakura laughed, and then covered his mouth as if he might vomit again. Kirigiri patiently waited for Kizakura to gather himself, worrying about how much the other usually drinks. After all, this is certainly not the first time that Kizakura had been too hung over to teach his class. When Kizakura finally managed to steady himself, he gave Kirigiri another apologetic smile. "I almost feel bad for Munakata."

"Munakata is a natural-born leader, but he has never taught students before." Kirigiri explained. "I believe it will be a good experience for him, considering how far away it is from his comfort zone. Besides, the overseas expansion project is running smoothly according to Yukizome."

"Yukizome is the one in charge over there?" Kizakura asked, sounding both astonished and amused at the same time. "Now there's a woman who would make an excellent teacher!"

"Perhaps, but she seems to be content with overseeing the project until Munakata returns." Kirigiri stated plainly. In his opinion, he thought that Chisa Yukizome would be bored sitting around a construction site all day but she always seemed fine taking orders from Munakata no matter how tedious it may be.

"He may be young, but he's expanding his faction quickly." Kizakura pointed out, drawling the headmaster out of his thoughts. Kirigiri blinked, seeing that the other man had a worried expression etched across his face. "Be careful not to have the school snatched out from under you."

"I know."

***

After a long walk across the campus, I finally arrived to Class 1-B with a minute to spare. I decided to take that minute to prepare myself for what might be on the other side of that door. For my first time teaching, I felt pretty calm about the whole situation. This may be my first time teaching students a little younger than me, but this was not my first time working with students in general. As a former Student Council President of Hope's Peak, I can safely say that I have worked with some pretty unusual people before. Needless to say, if I could handle leading the Student Council in my student days, I believe that this will be less of a problem.

Taking a deep breath, I reached for the handle and slid the door open. "Good morning -" I froze completely. When I was mentally preparing myself, I did not expect this to happen. Sitting in the room were only four students, three girls and one boy. "I thought the class would be bigger than this. Why are there only for of you?"

"Good morning," A girl with long blonde hair cheerfully greeted me as I made my way further into the classroom. Her professional mannerism and straight posture told me that she was most likely the Ultimate Princess of the class, Sonia Nevermind. She was sitting in the front row.

The other blonde girl in the room made a noise of disappointment. She was a lot shorter than the Ultimate Princess, and was standing next to the red-headed girl's desk. Judging from the fact that she was wearing a kimono instead of her class uniform, it was safe to assume that this was the Ultimate Traditional Dancer, Hiyoko Saionji. "What's this? Some man I've never even heard of just came in!"

"Um, who are you?" The red-headed girl tilted her head to the side and gave me a confused smile. She had a camera on her desk, which meant she was probably the Ultimate Photographer, Mahiru Koizumi.

"Starting today, I will be your teacher, Kyosuke Munakata." I announced proudly, standing behind the classroom podium. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, this one looks like he'll be fun to break!" Saionji snickered, "His social position, his organs, his life and more!"

"You can try all you want," I told her with a smug smile, "but it will take a lot to break me."

"Sounds like a challenge!" She smirked back with a scary glint in her eyes.

"Hold on, where did Kizakura go?!" The blonde boy in the back of the room asked, finally speaking up. He had his legs crossed on top of his desk, his hands relaxed behind his head, and he was leaning back in his chair. His mannerism was completely different from Sonia Nevermind, but still professional nonetheless. In fact, he reminded me more of Sakakura because of his attitude. If I had to guess, I would say he was the Ultimate Gangster, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu. "He's our homeroom teacher."

"Mr. Kizakura is… not able to teach at the moment." I answered with hesitation. They did not have to know why he was unable to teach today.

"Is he hung over again?" Kuzuryu asked in annoyance.

Before I could answer, the door slid open. A girl with long cut up hair and bandages on her arms and legs rushed into the room. "Sorry! I'm late!" Then, as if tripping on air, she accidentally fell to the ground with a shriek in a really… suggestive pose.

"You do this every morning!" Saionji complained. "Are you a bot? You puke-stinking klutz of a woman!"

"I'm sorry!" The girl wailed, trying to get up to her feet but failing.

I sighed and walked closer to the girl. Judging from the papers that slipped out of her bag, they seemed to be medical forms. This had to be the Ultimate Nurse, Mikan Tsumiki. That would also explain why she has so many bandages. I held out my hand to her and pulled her to her feet. "It's okay, just be careful, alright?" I looked around the room at the other students. "That makes five."

"This may be everyone for today." Sonia stated glumly.

"What about the other students?" I asked the rest of them. "I have a class list of fifteen students, so what are the other ten doing?"

"I don't know, and I don't care." Saionji smiled dreamily with her head down on Koizumi's desk.

"Besides, attendance isn't mandatory at this school, is it?" Koizumi pointed out. "You just need to sharpen your skills and pass the practical exams."

"I…" Tsumiki began sheepishly, "I was trying to attend class-"

"Don't act like such a goody two-shoes!" Kuzuryu yelled at her, causing her to start weeping and sputter apologies.

This was really disappointing. As I looked around the room at the 77th class of Hope's Peak, or at least the only five that showed up, I felt like this was hardly worth my time. If I was going to teach for Hope's Peak, I wanted to have the whole class show up. Also, it would be better for them to be closer together as a group. At least, that's how I was taught. If it weren't for my teachers, I don't think I would be that close with Yukizome or Sakakura; they would just be faces in a classroom.

"I see," I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. "It would seem you all get along about as well as rival street gangs."

"The hell do you mean by that?!" Kuzuryu shouted. "What would you know about rival street gangs?"

"Yeah, you look like a rich, pastry-looking snob." Saionji agreed. "I bet you have henchmen who do all the dirty work for you while you just sit around on your ass giving orders."

"I'll have you know that there is more to me than what meets the eye." I climbed up on one of the empty desks and looked around the room, something I would normally do during my old student council meetings. As if recognizing me by the mere motion, their eyes widened at the sight. "In fact, when a former Student Council President needs to get their other members under control, you can imagine what kind of hard discipline that might take."

"You went to this school?" Koizumi's eyes were as big as saucers.

"Yes, I graduated not too long ago with the rest of my classmates." I explained. "Beside me the entire time was the Ultimate Housekeeper, Chisa Yukizome and the Ultimate Boxer, Juzo Sakakura. We would not have become close friends if it was not for the teachers of the 74th Class. They taught us that we should cherish our youthful days with our classmates because it will never come again. It seems that the rest of you could use that kind of lesson, considering how disappointing your current relationships with each other are." I jumped off the desk and gazed at every single one of their faces. This way, it wouldn't seem like I was dictating them. "I want to be that kind of teacher for all of you. I cannot let you sit around wasting your youth like this. With your help, we can find the other members of your classmates and save your memories of high school for the better."

"That was a wonderful speech, Mr. Munakata!" Sonia cried with so much enthusiasm there seemed to be stars in her eyes. "This may be exactly what I was hoping for when I knocked at this school's gates."

"Excellent, let's gather the others so we can get class started properly."

"All right!" She beamed.

"Screw that." Kuzuryu stood up and slammed his hand on his desk. "Why should I have to act all buddy-buddy with everyone?"

"Doing so builds memories. Some of the happiest memories, for some people, would be spending time with others in his youth. Without it, you would be all alone. If you don't have something fond to look back on in times of needs, life may be more difficult for you." I walked over to his desk and stood beside it. "Besides, it's not like I can keep you unsupervised in this classroom so I would suggest you come with the rest of us."

"Or else what? What are you gonna do if I don't come with everyone?"

"Then I'll have to use force."

"Pfft. Do it if you-" Without warning, I grabbed his arm, pinned it behind his back, and slammed the rest of his upper body to lay flat on top of the desk. He groaned in pain as the girls screamed. "Y-You…"

"Let this be a warning to you if you decide to cross me again, boy." I hissed. "Or maybe you should learn to take care of yourself instead of letting your bodyguard do all of the work."

"How do you-"

"Wow, you just got beat up by an assistant homeroom teacher!" Saionji snickered at the gangster before turning her attention to me. "Alright pastry-snob, I might help look for the others if I get to see you do that again!"

"I guess we could all use some fresh air." Koizumi smiled reluctantly.

"I… I'll go too in case we have any medical emergencies." Tsumiki cried.

"Look at that, Kuzuryu, your classmates are willing to go on a small field trip to look for the rest of your classmates." I slowly released him from my grip and took a few steps back. "I would appreciate it if you would join us."

"Okay, you've got some guts in you," Kuzuryu stood in an upright position, rolling his shoulders back, "but you should know that you don't have to resort to violence so quickly even if it is to prove a point. You don't want one of your classmates injured, do you?"

"If I wanted to hurt you, then you would be injured. The only thing I fulfilled was pinning your arm behind your back." I defended. "I could have easily dislocated your arm if I wanted to, but you are my student and I will not hurt you. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, okay, you've earned my respect so I guess I'll go along with the rest of you." Kuzuryu gave me a cocky grin. "But if you touch me like that again, you'll regret it for the remainder of your life… however long that may be."

"Sounds fair to me," I decided. As long everyone is part of our little quest, I doubt there will be too many more problems. I turned my attention back to the rest of the group. "Now that everyone is with us, let's go find the rest of your classmates."

***

"Well, I managed to get through it." I told Yukizome. It was the end of the day and I no longer had to teach for the rest of the day so I decided to call Yukizome to see how she was doing. "Kizakura seems to be fine with having me as the assistant homeroom teacher for as long as I want. Of course, he just wants to get back to scouting for the 78th Class, but that's what he's better at anyways."

"So you don't know when you'll be coming back?" She asked. "The kids must love you if they want to keep you as their teacher."

"I assume it won't be longer than a year. I'll be back before the plan to expand Hope's Peak High School overseas is completed." I reminded her softly. "Any news I should be aware of regarding the expansion?"

"So far, everything is going perfectly fine!" Yukizome announced in a sing-songy voice. "The overseas expansion is steadily coming to fruition!"

"I see. I couldn't ask for better news."

"Well, how are things on your end?" She asked me. "Has everything been going well with teaching your students?"

"It's going well, for the most part." I explained, not trying to hide the exasperation in my voice. "I had to run around campus searching for the classmates that did not show up. One of them destroyed the men's faculties because he had to use the restroom, another was blasting her music to death out of a flamethrower guitar, and a third managed to win dozens of Dr. Hoppers from a vending machine after a truck landed on top of it."

"There's never a dull day at Hope's Peak Academy, huh?" Her voice had a hint of amusement and awe in it.

"You could say so, I suppose. But I handled it." I reassured her, a proud smile creeping onto my face. "Kizakura said that the class was a little reckless, which is true, but they keep remind me of our old class in the smallest ways. I am going to make sure that they enjoy Hope's Peak just as much as we do."

Yukizome let out a small giggle. "No less from the former Super High School-Level Student Council President."

"Don't push yourself too hard while I'm gone. You've always been a little too serious-"

"Hey Kyosuke," She interrupted. I stopped speaking and gave her a nonverbal sound to insist that I was listening to her. "I'm grateful to Hope's Peak High School. It allowed me to meet you!"

I frowned, not sure what she was trying to tell me. "What's this, all of a sudden?" I asked her.

"Oh…" I could hear the soft smile in her voice. "It's nothing."


	2. My Impurest Heart for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Munakata is slowly getting Class 77 to come together like a family. If he can find someone to be a class representative, things might go a little smoother. After all, it's busy work being a teacher... a teacher with side missions is even harder!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! K8wolfx is back with part 2! I'm really glad to hear that a lot of people liked this after the first chapter! I hope that you'll stay tuned for future chapters as the story becomes longer and more complex!
> 
> Speaking of longer, back in the old days I used to limit my chapters to be somewhere around 2,000 words each. Well, (awkward laughter) I guess I kinda outgrew that considering how this chapter is close to 4.5K. I'm really sorry to those who prefer shorter chapters but there were a lot of important elements I wanted to elaborate on in this chapter. I really hope it doesn't get boring but I gave it my everything!
> 
> AGH! Long. Author. Notes. Need. To. Stop! (Sorry, I have issues and a keyboard. Really don't mind if you skip the A/Ns) Loading chapter 2 in 3... 2... 1... Enjoy~!

"What are all of those circles?" Kizakura asked, pointing to the calendar on my desk. He had come to visit me to see how my work has been after I had been filling in for him the past few weeks.

Today, I was in my office on a break. "The marks represent every day I've taught for class 77-B. However, most of the time is spent trying to keep those kids from skipping class. At least it still counts as full attendance."

"Is it really that bad?" He asked, leaning over to look at the calendar more closely. "Maybe it would be better if the kids just focused on their talents to prepare for the practical exams."

I shook my head. "Not a chance. These students need to learn how important it is to spend time with their classmates. I'm not asking them to be friends with everyone, but it would be good for them to get to know each other and enjoy their high school years together." Kizakura gave me a skeptical expression. "Look, I know that this is taking longer than what it should but hopefully, things will start to change. It won't be long before we have to pick a class representative, and I want everyone to be able to decide."

"I see." Kizakura nodded, rubbing his chin in thought, "Sounds to me like you've got your hands full. Are you sure you can handle it, Mr. Student Council President?"

"If I didn't know any better, I would say that you are practically asking to have your job back." I told him with a smirk.

"No, no that's not it," He replied hastily, turning away to look out the window. "Besides, I have to go out scouting now. There's a girl they say is undefeated in the underground gambling world."

"Of course," I nodded, shuffling some papers on my desk. "I'll let you get to it then."

"Well, anyways," He leaned back closer to me, "don't get lax now…"

"Huh?"

"If the students cause problems," He lowered his voice to a whisper, "we might end up Reserve Course teachers."

"I won't let that happen." I assured him. "Those students are all good kids." The phone started to ring after I finished that sentence. "You'll have to excuse me." I picked up the receiver and held it to my ear. "Hello? Munakata speaking."

"Please save me, Mr. Munakata!" The feminine voice on the other line sounded panicked. "They're too much for me-!"

The person hung up before I could say anything. It sounded like one of the other teachers for the 77th class. Knowing what I had to do, I put the phone down and turned to the main homeroom teacher. "Kizakura, we have to-" It took me a moment to realize that I was talking to air and Kizakura was nowhere to be found. "He got away, huh?"

***

I ran the whole way to classroom 77-B, worried about what I would find. As I drew closer, I could hear the sounds of shouting and things breaking. This was not good. I grabbed the handle and slammed the door open. "What are you doing?!"

The classroom was a mess. I seemed to have walked in on a fight between Nekomaru Nidai, the Ultimate Team Manager, and Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast. They were sparring in the middle of the classroom, and Owari had just gotten slammed into a wall. The rest of the students all happened to be there; Tsumiki and Sonia were tending to the fallen teacher while some of the others were lined up against the wall. The only three that dared to stay in their seats were Nagito Komaeda, Ryota Mitarai, and Chiaki Nanami.

"What's wrong?!" Nidai bellowed, his eyes seemed to glow with some kind of electrical charge.

Owari wiped blood off of her chin. She had cuts and bruises everywhere, but she still kept fighting. She slammed her hand on a desk and pushed herself up and over it, glaring at Nidai with unwavering determination. "I'm not done yet!"

"My classroom is literally falling apart…" I stated glumly. One of the walls was missing and there was debris scattered everywhere. Most of the desks were either broken or pushed out of the way to make room for combat. This was disappointing; it was such a nice classroom. Where were the students going to learn now?

"What do we do about this?" Kuzuryu asked, his hands resting behind his head in a relaxed position. He was sitting on the floor against the wall, watching the battle with a bored expression.

"The teacher who came to the class fainted, too." Sonia told me as Tsumiki applied a wet cloth to the teacher's forehead.

I walked towards the two who caused the mess and shouted, "Enough! Nidai, destruction of the classroom is a matter of serious concern!"

He turned to me with an expression of rage. "What did you say?! We're training in realistic combat conditions!"

"I can see that, but that's no reason for you to destroy the classroom." I pointed out calmly, gesturing towards the big 'window' the two of them made. "If you want to continue your realistic combat training, you'll have to take it outside."

"Hey, you told us that we need to stay in class an' get along with everybuddy! That's what we're doin'!" Owari exclaimed. "How are we gonna work on our talents if we're stuck in class all day?"

"I thought I already explained this to you on the first day." I peered back at what was left of my podium, which hardly had any damage to my surprise. "There is more to life than talent."

"Yeah, but talent is the main reason we're here, right?" Nidai asked. "That's why we're going through extensive training right now! If we work on conditioning our skills, we can pass the practical exams with no problems! You know the saying: 'practice makes perfect'!"

"I am glad that you're taking your practical exams seriously," I told him, straightening my posture, "but, even if you are the most talented person in your field, thinking like that will get you nowhere."

"Yeah?" Owari crossed her arms over her chest, "How so?"

I walked towards the podium and leaned in front of it, facing the rest of the students. "When you enrolled in Hope's Peak Academy, you were told that the only way to graduate was to pass your practical exams, right? So, let's pretend that those exams are the only thing you focus on. You spend every single second of your time preparing for the exams until the day comes. And when that testing date arrives-"

"Let me guess, we end up failing our exams because we overworked ourselves?" Kuzuryu stated matter-of-factly.

"No, you all pass with flying colors." I assured him. "After all, with all that hard effort it was bound to pay off, right? But here's the thing. Just because you passed the practical exams and graduated from the academy does not mean that you are set for life."

"I think you're wrong." Mitarai looked up from the storyboard he was working on to address me fully. "If you have talent, your future is peachy. We're a bunch of elite kids, gathered from across Japan, with that motto. So, despite what you are trying to teach, all we have to do is pass the exams and graduate and then we really are set for life."

"Let me ask you this. And, by the way, this question is for all of you." I moved away from the podium and stood in front of Mitarai's desk. "What do you plan to do after Hope's Peak?"

"I'm sorry?"

"When you graduate, what are your plans for the future?" I asked, narrowing my gaze at Mitarai. "Let's start with you first."

"Well, uh, I want to create anime," He replied, looking down at his desk, "and if I keep working on it now, it should be ready to produce by the time I get out of here."

"That sounds wonderful." I told him with a sincere smile. Turning to the rest of the class, I asked, "and what goals do the rest of you have?"

Although not everyone shared, it seemed to me that everyone had amazing dreams they wanted to follow: opening up a restaurant, creating miracle drugs that would cure the sick, taking beautiful pictures for the entire world to see, inspiring others with music and dance, even making a country free of war. It was incredible to see how they all wanted to make the world a better place. "Those are all very lovely goals, and I mean it sincerely. But, how do you plan to accomplish them if all you have is talent?"

"If I may speak," Komaeda began, causing a few of the other students to groan, "Most of the goals listed were related to each of the Ultimates' talents. With their outstanding abilities, they should be able to overcome any obstacle in their path as long as it pertains to their particular skill, right?"

"Not necessarily," I replied. "Take, for instance, Hanamura's dream of becoming a world-renowned chef at his own family restaurant. His culinary skills will make the restaurant a delicious place to dine, but that does not guarantee success." I glanced towards Hanamura, who was giving me a confused expression. "Do you know how to open up a restaurant? It's not as simple as walking into an empty building, creating tasty dishes, and then serving them to the public."

"Well, of course, I would have to put in a lot of time and money." He began with hand to his chin. "Obtaining a building permit, decorating the place, hiring staff, getting people to come to my restaurant…"

"And can you do that with your culinary skills alone?" His expression turned worrisome as I continued. "It would seem not. Many goals require more than just one talent. One of the most important skills that I believe everyone would benefit from would be social skills. If you are good at communicating with others, there are no limits to what you can do."

"So, you're implying that Hanamura can hire a good staff and tell people about his restaurant if he can be good at talking to people, right?" Koizumi clarified.

"Exactly," I nodded, "and talking to people can help the rest of you with your goals as well. If you would only improve your social skills-"

"Who says we don't already have good social skills?" Ibuki asked, raising her hand like how she does in class.

Well, technically, this is class time, right? "I say so." I responded, earning a few looks of vulgarity and confusion. "When we don't have class, you are all paired up with the same person every day. I have never seen any of you talk to a different classmate outside of school."

"Why should that matter?" Saionji complained. "I don't like anyone here other than Big Sis Mahiru!"

"It's good to make connections with other people. That way you can help each other in the future. Saionji, if you were to be the main star of a dance routine at a theatre or music hall, would you be okay if Koizumi were the only one to show up?"

"Duh, of course I would!" Saionji rolled her eyes at me as if the answer was obvious. "Big Sis Mahiru is the only one that matters!"

"Are you sure?" I asked, hoping that she would help me get to the point of the argument. "Wouldn't it be more fun if the rest of the class arrived and watched your performance?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I don't really care either."

Since Saionji refused to be helpful, I decided to try a more reasonable approach. "What about you Koizumi? If you were to be at an art gallery where your photographs were being displayed or auctioned, would you be okay if Saionji were the only one to come?"

"Um," Koizumi scratched her cheek. "I guess it would be great if everyone else came, too."

"I would love to go to an art gallery to see your photos on display!" Sonia beamed, causing the photographer to blush.

"Yeah, I agree with Sonia!" Souda agreed to no one's surprise.

"Really, I had no idea…" Koizumi smiled and gazed down at her camera thoughtfully.

"See, this is what happens when you don't communicate with your classmates." I told them. "That's why it's so important for you to bond together. That way, you can see Koizumi's displays, or eat at Hanamura's restaurant, or watch Mioda's and Saionji's performances, or-"

"So does that mean I can fight Nidai right now or not?" Owari asked impatiently, one hand on her hip while the other hand gestured towards the team manager.

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I did not think I would have to make this a rule, but 'no fighting in the classroom'. We are here to learn and get along with each other."

"So, what if we fight outside but everyone comes to watch us?" Nidai offered. "Does that still count as a group activity?"

"Uh," I blinked. He's not wrong. "I suppose so?"

"Alright, a field trip!" Owari pumped her fist in the air and made her way towards the door. "Hurry up, old man! I know I can beat' cha!"

As everyone started to file out after them, Nanami and Mitarai were still sitting in their desks. "Aren't you two gonna join them?"

"No," Nanami said at the same time as Mitarai said "I'd rather not."

"Were the two of you not listening when I talked about how important group activities were?" I gave them a pointed look even though both of them had their heads down.

"I would rather be here working on my anime." Mitarai responded, still looking down at his storyboard as he sketched another scene.

I walked over to him and put my hands on his desk. "I'm sure a small break wouldn't be too much of a bother. Or would you prefer it if I dragged you to the rest of the group like the first day?"

As if remembering a bad dream, Mitarai turned pale and frantically pushed his chair out from under the desk. "O-Okay, okay I'll go with the others." And with that, he briskly rushed out of the room.

One down, one to go.

"Nanami?" She was still playing on her Gamegirl, her eyes glued to the screen. "Nanami, are you listening to me?"

"You want me to hang out with the rest of them so I can have fun, right?" Nanami asked, her thumbs vigorously tapping at the controls. Her voice sounded… sad and dejected. "But, I wouldn't have any fun even if I were with them."

"You wouldn't know that unless you tried." I told her in an attempt to console her.

"Everyone's crazy. They really don't come together as a group at all." She sighed deeply. A part of me wanted to tell her that I agreed with her, that her class just needed more of a push to come together, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. "Besides, it's hard to enjoy other people's interests when you don't enjoy them yourself."

"That's why it's important to introduce each other to different interests." I leaned on the edge of Mitarai's desk and folded my arms over my chest. "You'll become a well-rounded individual from learning about what other people like to do and you could possible enjoy them too. And in return, they may get invested in some of your interests." I gestured towards her Gamegirl, "like gaming."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she frowned at the screen. "I don't think my gaming talent will earn me any friends."

"Sure it will." I declared. She paused her game and gave me a bewildered expression. "If games are fun to play by yourself, they'll be even more fun to play with everyone else."

She blinked, taking a moment to process my words. "Play with everyone…"

"Of course, I bet they would love to play with you." She continued to stare at me as if I had given her the hardest riddle in the world and asked her to solve it. I sighed, "Just think about it, okay? You don't have to approach them about it right this second, but I would really appreciate it if you could at least stay near them for now. I have to go run some errands and I would prefer it if the class were all gathered in the same spot."

"Okay." She grabbed her Gamegirl and stood up. Her mood seemed to have changed slightly; no longer as gloomy as she was previously. "Thank you, Mr. Munakata."

"It's not a problem." I told her before realizing that I forgot to ask her something. "Oh, by the way, what was the name of that boy you were with at the water fountain? It seemed to have slipped my mind."

"Oh, Hajime Hinata," She answered, tilting her head to the side. "Why did you want to know?"

"It was bothering me." I explained. "I like to know the names of everyone I meet and for some reason I wasn't sure if I remembered it correctly. Thank you for telling me."

"It's not a problem." She said, repeating my words from a minute ago. I couldn't help but smile at the irony. "Anyways, good luck with your errands, Mr. Munakata. I'll be with the other students."

"Thank you," We walked out of the classroom together. As we were about to part, I reminded her, "Don't forget about what I told you."

"I won't." She smiled and walked down the hallway to go find the rest of the class. I stood there, watching her turn the corner until she disappeared from my sight completely. Now that she was with the others, I could finally start on my side mission.

***

You see, teaching wasn't the only reason I wanted to come back to Hope's Peak Academy. I was also here to investigate. Right now, I was in charge of the overseas expansion project but I was hoping that one day I might become the Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy. I have to find out everything the school might be hiding. Therefore, when the day comes to select a new Headmaster, I will be the most experienced and qualified person for the position.

I know I'm crossing a line by doing this; I'm well-aware of that. That's why I have to take care of this dangerous job alone. Even though I know Yukizome could handle this job better than I can, I knew I would never forgive myself if she got in trouble for my transgression. Therefore, it's only best if I handle it myself.

Kirigiri has done a good job keeping the academy in order, but the school is far from clean. Because the Main Course does not have to pay tuition, the funding comes directly from the Reserve Course instead. However, the Reserve Course was recently introduced last year. There were never any funding problems beforehand and yet the Reserve Course was created anyways. This is why I am suspicious of Hope's Peak Academy's current funding activities. What is the board of trustees really using the Reserve Course funding for?

The best way to figure this out would be to start by learning more about the Reserve Course itself. And I knew just who to ask, "Hinata?"

He abruptly sat up and shrieked. I found him lying on a bench by the water fountain, which was pretty fortunate since I wasn't sure where else I could look for him without causing suspicion. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry if I frightened you." I apologized, "But I wanted to learn more about the Reserve Course and you're just the person I was looking for." I took a seat beside him on the bench and rested my hands on my lap. "Why did you join the Reserve Course?"

His shoulders slumped forward as he let out a sigh. "Oh, did I not say before? I've always aspired to enter Hope's Peak Academy."

Interesting. For people like Hinata, it seems like Hope's Peak would be giving them a wonderful opportunity to be part of the Hope's Peak alumni. Considering how well Hope's Peak students do after high school, the talentless people in the Reserve Course can also benefit from such a grand opportunity… despite how expensive the fees are. "Is that why you entered the Reserve Course?"

"That's right." He nodded. "But I can't find the resolve."

"Resolve for what, exactly?" I asked him, "Do they let people in the Reserve Course transfer into the Main Course if they do well enough?"

"Ah, no…" He looked down at his feet in disappointment. For a moment, he seemed like he was debating whether or not to ask me something. "But why are you so concerned about a lowly Reserve Course student?"

"Why do you consider yourself lowly?" I countered. He turned to me with widened eyes, as if he was expecting a different answer. "Your friend, Nanami, she believes in you. She wouldn't talk to you if she thought you were lowly, would she?"

"Nanami… she's a very unique person." Despite the tone of sadness, there was a hint of a smile on his lips. "It would be great if everyone could see things like she does."

"I wish I could tell you that they do." I stared at the stone pathways that led to the fountain. "It's nice to have someone who believes in you, but that won't make a difference if you don't believe in yourself first. Maybe if you did, you wouldn't consider yourself so lowly. However, that's just how I see things." I stood up and peered back at him over my shoulder. "I have to get back to my class. Thank you for teaching me about the Reserve Course."

"Uh, yeah, no problem," I heard him say as left the fountain area and slowly made my way back to my classroom. The information Hinata provided gave me a fresh new perspective to my investigation but I still had a lot more work to do before I would be able to answer any of the questions I had about Hope's Peak Academy's funding process. It would have to wait for now.

***

The next day of class, everyone was exhausted and hunched over their desks with extremely bad posture. Last time we had class, Saionji decided it would be fun to spike everyone's food with one of Hanamura's doping corn soups. Turns out that the soup that she used was an aphrodisiac that caused everyone to be really… well, I'll leave that to the imagination. Needless to say, most of the class wanted today to be peaceful and quiet. But, I thought it would be a good time to do something productive. "Okay class, let's get started, shall we?"

"How are you so energetic?" Souda groaned, slowly lifting his head up as if the simple action alone was draining his strength.

"Because I'm an adult," I explained to him, "so this wasn't my first time doing something like this."

"I see," Sonia nodded knowingly, being one of the only students who were not so easily affected by the aphrodisiacs. "So that is why I'm not exhausted either."

"Huh?" Souda's face started to turn pale and he leaned closer to the Ultimate Princess and whispered, "Miss Sonia, what does that mean?"

"Let's start homeroom now!" I announced, hoping it would save Souda from ever knowing what I believed Sonia might be implying. "Today, I thought we might start class by choosing someone to be a class representative. I'm sure you all have personal opinions and nominations, but I believe only one person in here would be perfect for the role." I let my gaze travel to the back of the room, where my nomination was quietly playing a game on her Gamegirl. "I nominate Chiaki Nanami to accept the position of our class rep."

She looked up from her controller when I said her name. "Huh? I don't wanna."

"Personally, I think you would make a great class rep. You were able to bring everyone together yesterday for the first time this year. There's no way you can deny that video games can bring people together. I can tell that you genuinely care about your classmates, and that's why I picked you, but this verdict is not for me to determine." I let my eyes wander to the other students. "In the end, we will decide by majority vote so that everyone has a say. But, for now, are they any other nominations?"

I'm not sure whether it is because of their exhaustion or a lack of responsibility, but no one seemed to object to my nomination. In fact, it seemed like that's actually what they wanted. One by one, the rest of the class voiced their support for Nanami to be the class rep. To be honest, I was not expecting everyone to agree so suddenly. It would appear that Nanami has influenced them in a way that I never could. I strode to Nanami's desk, and said softly, "The class has spoken. I may have said we would decide by majority vote, but it's only fair that I let you make the final decision. It's alright if you don't want to take the job, but everyone seems to think you would be great at it. What do you say, Chiaki Nanami?"

I could see her weighing the options in her mind as she tried to reach a decision. When she finally made up her mind, she gave a curt nod of her head and murmured, "Okay."

"Then it's settled." I extended my hand to her and she slowly reached out to shake it. "Glad to have you with us, class rep."

After Komaeda went on a tangent about how "wonderfully beautiful" it is to have Nanami as our class rep, the rest of the day went by normally. Now that a class representative has been chosen, I feel like things will run a lot more smoothly than what it did beforehand. I will have more time to work on my side mission and Nanami will lead class 77-B to a brighter future.

Unfortunately, this is the part where things start to go in the opposite direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the liberty of using some of the lines from the episode to stay in character but the rest of it, and especially Munakata's lines, I created.
> 
> Ah, the last chapter until all hell breaks loose and the beginning of twilight appears. Or, maybe it doesn't. Who knows? It all kinda depends on what Munakata will do right? (Upupupup~!) I feel the despair awaiting us in the future chapters!
> 
> Also, if you follow my story for The Togami Plot, I have something I want to say about it that I found surprising but I won't say it here. After all, these stories are not related to each other in any way despite both being DR3 rewrites. The next chapter for that will be coming out soon. And the next chapter for this fic will come shortly afterwards! (says the girl who updates on a monthly schedule even though a month is a long time. I'M SORRY!)
> 
> Please feel free to kudos or comment. You don't have to, of course, but if provides motivation and happiness when you do. Until next time!


	3. A Farewell To All Futures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Munakata learns more about the Reserve Course and who might be behind it all... but not in the most pleasant of circumstances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am K8wolfx and I am not dead! I am really sorry for not updating anything in the past two months! I had to focus on school for a while since classes were kicking my ass and I needed to get good grades or I wouldn't be able to travel to Japan in July.
> 
> But, now that summer is here, I finally finished this chapter! I had to rewrite it a bunch of different times because there were some scenes that I wanted to include but weren't really that necessary to the plot that I'm working with. However, this chapter is much longer than the other two so I hope it is still good enough for the people who are still following this!
> 
> I know some people are upset that I didn't include the aphrodisiac scene in the last chapter. It's a great scene and I love it, but I don't think a whole lot would have changed with Munakata there instead of Yukizome so I didn't think it was much to write about. I'm really sorry for people who might have been looking forward to it!
> 
> To try to add more cute scenes to this fic, I decided to add something in the beginning that I wish would have gotten explained more so I hope you like it! All you have to do is start reading down below... Enjoy~!

"Whoa, look at these little guys jump!"

"I'll admit it, they are quite impressive."

"That is because they heeded the message spoken to them by the gods." Tanaka told his classmates, calmly stroking a white rabbit that was resting in his arms. "They shredded the walls of hesitance and unlocked their hidden powers, mastering the art of agility."

This afternoon, we decided to have class outdoors. Everyone was tired of sitting around yesterday and filling out worksheets so Nanami suggested that we do a fun group activity together. After discussing some of the interests everyone had, it was clear that most of the classmates liked animals. Of course, whenever animals are mentioned, Tanaka is always the first one to speak. He told everyone that he could bring in a few animals for the class to play with. So today, he had brought some baby bunnies and a large white rabbit. Now they were frolicking about in the patio area of the courtyard, happy to be free and excited to feel the fresh air in their lungs.

I should clarify. I'm not talking about the bunnies here.

"Hey! Come back and let me get you!" Saionji yelled, trying to grab at the bunnies. Every time she was close enough to reach them, the bunnies would jump a few feet away and look back at her. It was almost as if they were playing a dodging game with her, teasing her since she was always to slow to grab them. "Let me squish you!"

"Tch, and you wonder why they try to run away from you." Kuzuryu rolled his eyes at her, his arms folded over his chest.

"It could be many different reasons." Pekoyama murmured, gazing at the animals with a look of sadness in her eyes. "Perhaps they just dislike people that they think are dangerous, not paying any regards to their behaviors. They say that animals have a sixth sense about that kind of thing, don't they?"

"Although some animals do possess a sixth sense and some are capable to detect danger, your myth is false. Like people, some animals' instincts are stronger than others. It heavily depends on the individual animal. For example, this mother can identify threats easier than her baby bunnies." Tanaka told her, carrying the white rabbit over to where she was standing. Sonia was standing behind him, giving Pekoyama an encouraging nod. "Would you like to hold one? Unlike Saionji, you have been completely quiet since we came outside. Surely, you would be a more soothing companion."

"Oh, uh," Pekoyama's eyes widened slightly and her body tensed up. "I probably shouldn't…"

"Nonsense!" Sonia reached over Tanaka's shoulder and petted the rabbit lovingly, which caused the rabbit to lean into the touch. "There is nothing to be afraid of! These animals won't hurt you!"

"They have mauled Souda twice." Tanaka remarked, glancing at the patio tables where Tsumiki was placing a fresh Band-Aid on the injured mechanic. The mechanic winced as the bandage was applied, and he managed to worry the nurse with his relentless complaining. Turning back to Pekoyama with a sigh, Tanaka gave her a stare that seemed to search deep within her soul. "Perhaps you are the perfect mortal that they seek. I can see the gods have concurred that you are far more worthy than the cantankerous mechanic in the distance. Would you care to give it a test?"

"Well…" Pekoyama stared at the rabbit before slowly moving her hand towards the mother. The rabbit's nose twitched, and Pekoyama froze. She retracted her hand and shook her head. "No, I don't think it would be a good idea."

"I could try placing her in your arms." Tanaka suggested, and Pekoyama gave him a bewildered look. "I sense that you really wish to pet him. As long as I'm nearby, she will most likely behave herself."

Before Pekoyama could object, Kuzuryu shrugged, "Worth a shot, I suppose. Go on and try it already!"

"…Okay." Pekoyama whispered, saying it more to herself than anyone else around her. She held her arms out and Tanaka slowly guided the rabbit to her hands. When the rabbit had settled a paw on her wrist, she suddenly leaped out of her arms and bounced away on the grass. Pekoyama glanced after her and her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for!" Sonia reassured her. "He's done that a few times today with Mr. Munakata too."

"It's true, but I was able to hold her for a few seconds after three or four previous tries." I told Pekoyama, remembering how soft and fluffy the rabbit's fur had been at that brief moment of triumph. "Just give it some time and she might grow more accustomed to you."

"I hope you're right." She still looked low-spirited as she spoke.

"Hey! Why are all the bunnies hopping away?" Mioda whined, running up to stop beside me. "They suddenly just darted away from the rest of us and went in the same direction!"

"Hmm, perhaps they heard something suspicious in the area." Tanaka mused aloud. "The bunnies perhaps wanted to investigate."

"We have to go after them, don't we?" Nanami asked, looking to me from her seat near Souda and Tsumiki. "It's not like we can let them run around campus unattended…"

"First one ta find the bunnies gets a free lunch!" Owari yelled, darting after the animals with determination.

"Wait, Owari!" I called out to her but she was already out of hearing distance. To the rest of the students, I said, "Everyone, they couldn't have gotten far. Let's go find them before they get lost, okay?"

"Hey, Ibuki thinks she sees the white one over there!" Mioda pointed across the yard where, sure enough, the mother was steadily hopping away from us, "After her!"

"FOLLOW THE WHITE RABBIT!" Nidai boomed.

The whole class followed the bunnies to see where they were hopping to. As we were turning a corner into a small alleyway, a person emerged and the bunnies started assaulting them with their claws. The person let out a surprised yelp, lost their footing, and fell to the ground. This only made the bunnies jump all over their body and scratch at the victim's clothes. Frightened that the bunnies might severely injure the person, I ran over to the victim and tried to shoo the bunnies away. When I got closer, I identified the poor student who had scratches and bite marks all over his clothes as one of my own, "Komaeda?"

"Ah, hello there Mr. Munakata!" He let out a small chuckle, a big grin on his face. "This is just my luck, huh?"

I held out my hand and he took it, scrambling to his feet. As he started dusting off his clothes, I asked, "What happened? Why did the bunnies attack you?"

"It was probably just a stroke of bad luck. I don't usually have good luck when it comes to animals anyways." As Komaeda talked, I couldn't help but inspect his injuries. It was nothing serious; he didn't seem to be bleeding anywhere, but he might have to change into a uniform with less cuts and holes. "I was coming back from eating in the cafeteria when this herd of bunnies stampeded towards me and knocked me down."

"Did they attack like that one killer rabbit in 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'?" Mioda asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet and the bunnies almost seemed to join her. "Ooh, I bet they did!"

"I think you watch too many movies." Kuzuryu sighed and shook his head.

"You smell funny." Owari told Komaeda, her nose investigating his clothes. "It's not meat, but it kinda smells like…" She grabbed at one of his pockets, causing Komaeda to let out a frightened squeak. "Food!"

"H-Hey, what are you…"

Finally, she pulled out an orange vegetable and dangled it in front of her face. The bunnies started jumping up and trying to bite at it so Owari threw it to the ground in front of them. Thankfully, the bunnies swarmed to the vegetable and started nibbling at it. "Okay, why the hell do ya got a carrot in your pocket?"

"Ohoho, I think I might know why!" Hanamura wriggled his eyebrows. "After all, carrots are very similar to-"

"Oh dear, I forgot I still had that!" Komaeda exclaimed, ignoring Hanamura and watching the bunnies in awe as they devoured the fallen food. "I got it from the cafeteria in case anyone got hungry later on. I suppose I should have grabbed something else instead. At least the bunnies get to have a good meal at the cause of my misfortune!"

"I thought you were with the rest of us." At least, that's what I thought. I should have noticed that I was missing a student with hair paler than my own. "Were you in the cafeteria the whole time?"

"For the most part, yes," Komaeda nodded. "I was waiting for the rest of the class to arrive before I left. After all, trash like me doesn't deserve to be around-"

"Komaeda," I warned him. This really wasn't the best time for his self-deprecating speeches. "Were you the last person from our class to show up?"

"No, I got tired of waiting so I decided that it wouldn't be too terrible if I joined the rest of the group. But, last I checked, Koizumi was there waiting for someone. She usually doesn't stay in the cafeteria for very long so I'm assuming that she probably left by now."

"Koizumi?" I glanced at the students around me to realize that I had forgotten the red-haired photographer as well. "Why is she not with us? This is supposed to be a group activity."

"She told me that she had a friend that she always eats with." Saionji shrugged. "Apparently they're from different classes so they don't get to see each other as often as they used to. That's probably who she was searching for."

I turned to Saionji, "Do you know who this person is?"

"Not really. Koizumi's really secretive about her for some reason." Saionji pouted. It almost seemed like she was jealous of having to share the photographer's attention. "She has long dark hair that is really thick, wavy, and insanely frizzy. Oh yeah, she also wears a different Hope's Peak uniform."

"Different uniform…" This person had to be from the Reserve Course. Maybe even a friend or classmate of Hinata's? "I'm going to go look for Koizumi. The rest of you should stay here and play with the bunnies. Nanami, I'm leaving you in charge until I come back. Can you do that for me?"

Nanami nodded. "I will, Mr. Munakata."

"Okay, I'll be back as soon as I can." Without a second to waste, I left the patio area in pursuit of the two girls.

***

It didn't take long to find them. Considering the different uniforms, it would be stupid for them to hang out inside the academy. It was unspoken of to see a talented and an untalented student talk to each other indoors. So, with that in mind, I searched the outdoor areas and found them sitting on a bench in front of the water fountain. They were chatting quietly and munching on hamburgers. It was a pretty peaceful scene, but Koizumi needed to return to class, so it was my job to ruin the moment.

"Koizumi!" I called out to her.

The two girls froze as if they were caught doing something bad. Then, Koizumi saw me walking towards them and her eyes widened, "Mr. Munakata?"

"I'm assuming you guys lost track of time." I said quietly. Koizumi lowered her head in embarrassment and the Reserve Course girl bit her lip. "You both should be heading back to class."

"I'm sorry," Koizumi bowed slightly, "It's my fault that we-"

"No, it's really my fault!" The other girl exclaimed. "Koizumi did nothing wrong! She was helping me with something before we came here and-"

"I'm sure you both have perfectly good reasons as to why you're eating late, but I don't have time to hear them right now." I told them, my gaze falling on Koizumi. "The whole class is waiting for you on the other side of campus."

"Then you should probably get going." The Reserve Course girl told Koizumi with a smile, "Sounds like your class really misses you."

"But will you be okay?" Koizumi turned to her, her expression worrying. "I don't want to leave you after what happened with Kuzuryu-"

"I'm sorry, but did you just say Kuzuryu?" I interjected. I knew for sure that the Ultimate Yakuza was with the rest of us so there was no way that she could be talking about him… I think.

"Natsumi Kuzuryu," The Reserve Course girl spit out the name in disgust. "She's the younger sister of the Ultimate Yakuza and she keeps acting like she's better than everyone else. I think it will take her a while to learn her place."

"And, she's a Reserve Course student," I presumed, nodding to her uniform, "like you?"

"Yeah," The girl nodded. Her hands that were previously resting in her lap started to ball up into fists. "Koizumi and I used to be in the same photography club with her back in middle school. She's actually the reason why we're having a late lunch. That stupid bitch never changes!"

"Sato!" Koizumi scolded, casting a side glance in my direction, "There's a teacher standing right in front of us!"

"So? She's still a stupid bitch! Having an authority figure standing here doesn't change that!" The girl, Sato, gave Koizumi a serious look. "You saw how she was today. She's planning something! I know she's going to do something terrible to you! I'm not just going to sit by and watch that happen!"

"How do you know she's going to do something?" I asked Sato.

She looked up at me and narrowed her eyes. "Because she said she was going to do something!"

"Considering that she is part of a yakuza clan, she might just be saying that to intimidate you." I pointed out.

"Yeah, and also because she's part of the yakuza, she might actually go through with it." Sato argued back.

"Sato, please," Koizumi took Sato's hands and put them in her own. "Just forget about it for now. I wanted us to have a peaceful lunch together so we could forget everything else for a while. Was that… maybe too much to ask for?"

Sato's expression softened and she gazed at Koizumi with a look of embarrassment. "You're right, I'm sorry! I just don't want anything bad to happen to you. The girl is trouble."

"This is just my opinion," I spoke up, causing the girls to look at me, "but it sounds like Natsumi Kuzuryu is only doing this to make you feel threatened. I don't see how 'killing' Koizumi will do anything good for her."

"You're wrong!" Sato snapped. "She thinks that if she offs Koizumi, then there will be a chance for her to make it into the Main Course! I won't let her do it!"

"That won't work." I stated calmly. "There's no way for someone from the Reserve Course to make it to the Main Course, as far as I know. These ideas of hers, they're just words to intimidate you with. They shouldn't be taken seriously."

"Oh? So you're one of those teachers, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"The kind of teachers who think that a bunch of meaningless kids don't have the ability to cause mayhem! That's what you are!" Sato retorted. "Do you even understand what it's like for people like us? I can't even be taken seriously because I'm a good for nothing Reserve Course student! Let me tell you something." She leaned forward as if she was telling me a really juicy secret. "It doesn't matter if Reserve Course students can't make it into the Main Course. There are people who are desperate enough to try and she is one of them. And as a member of the yakuza, she has an advantage over some of the other students who don't know their place. You can tell me to ignore her 'threats' all you want, but I know better."

"Listen to me, Sato-"

"No! You think that this is all just some nonsense rambling of a Reserve Course student?" Her expression was turning wild. She looked like she was losing control of her words as she vigorously shook her head. "You're wrong! You're wrong! You're wrong!"

"Sato!" Koizumi took one of Sato's hands in her own and gave her a look of desperation. "Please look at me!" After some coaxing, Sato tore her icy gaze off of me and looked deep into Koizumi's eyes. "We can talk about this later, okay? I have to leave now and I don't want you to be in a bad mood when I go."

"Don't worry about me, Mahiru." Sato reassured her. She placed her other hand, the one not trapped in Koizumi's grip, on top of Koizumi's hand and gave her a small smile. "I'll be fine, okay?"

"Okay." After what felt like forever, Koizumi finally got up from the bench and stood at my side. She gave Sato a wave and a small smile. "Bye-bye."

Sato smiled and waved back. Then, Koizumi and I started heading back to the rest of the class. When we were far enough away from anyone who could eavesdrop, Koizumi timidly glanced at me from the corner of her eye, "Hey, Mr. Munakata?"

"Yes?"

"Do you really think nothing is going to happen between my friend and that other girl?" The fact that Koizumi neglected to use their names, almost as if she was distancing herself from the situation altogether, showed that she was clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

I turned my head to look at her but she avoided my gaze. Still, I knew she was waiting for me to reply so I said softly, "I can't really say for sure, but I wouldn't take it so seriously. That is what the other girl would want. If she does end up trying something, the school will see to it that it never escalates beyond anything serious."

"O-Okay, thanks," Koizumi stared at her feet as we joined the others. I could tell that she did not agree with what I told her, but that's her opinion. There was no way that Natsumi Kuzuryu would kill Mahiru Koizumi. Even if she did, I would know about it. Any chance that Kuzuryu would have of joining the Main Course would end with me accusing her of murder. Her entire mission would be for naught.

Then again, it didn't matter. Nobody had been murdered at Hope's Peak while I was still in school. Now, that isn't to say the school did not have a few mysterious deaths in their history, but those were so long ago that no one ever really cared to bring them up. But considering how low of a death rate our school has, I doubt anyone is going to be killed over a small little feud like this.

Then Natsumi Kuzuryu's body was found a day later.

***

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu went to go see his sister's body in the school's morgue. Pekoyama accompanied him, but did not dare to go in with him according to one of the other teachers. When they returned to class, neither one of them said a word for the rest of the day. They just stared silently into space. Koizumi didn't look much better. She kept biting her lip and her foot was tapping on the floor impatiently, waiting for class to be over. The despair of a Hope's Peak student dying on campus, it was hitting everyone pretty hard. It didn't matter that she was a Reserve Course student. The fact that something like this could happen so close to home, it made everyone feel unsafe.

And me? I wasn't feeling so well. Koizumi was right to be worried and I should have listened. Hope's Peak is no ordinary school and I should have realized that. These were no ordinary kids we were dealing with; even the Reserve Course students had something in them that demanded attention. Maybe if people did pay more attention to them, this death could have been prevented.

The story about Kuzuryu's murder is what makes the whole situation even worse. Police found her lying dead in the music room of the Reserve Course building. She died from a blow to the head, the blood from the wound dirtying her normally shiny blonde hair. They say that the person who killed her was a pervert who had been hanging around the neighborhood lately, that after killing Kuzuryu he escaped out through a broken window out of panic, but there have been no arrests made so far. Either the police were having trouble finding the guy or there was no guy to find. After all, this was the first time anyone had heard about a pervert hanging around the school recently, but he allegedly stole someone's swimsuit from the school.

Something tells me that this has more to do with Sato than with a nameless pervert. Would this situation not have happened if I intervened more into their little dispute? Maybe I should have looked for Kuzuryu so I could have a chat with her. I was considering talking to her to get another opinion of the Reserve Course, but I thought it would have been better to wait awhile so it didn't seem suspicious. Apparently, it seems I waited too long.

But maybe there's still time to question Sato! If I can learn more about the Reserve Course, I might be able to find out what is really going on at this school. Hinata is one lead that I have, but it would be nice to have another lead with a different viewpoint. I have not seen the girl since Kuzuryu's death but the next time I find her I-

"Hey, did you hear the news?" Kizakura asked, tapping my shoulder.

I was sitting in my desk lost in thought that I failed to hear his approaching footsteps. Turning my chair so I could face him directly, I asked, "What news?"

"I just got a call from Jin…" He began. Judging by the serious look on his face, the news is probably anything but good. "They found another body… a Reserve Course girl…"

No! It better not be… "What was her name?"

"Uh, well, I can't remember her first name but… Sato. Her last name was Sato."

I'm too late.

"The police are saying it's a suicide, most likely because of the recent death of the Kuzuryu girl but," Kizakura's frown deepened, "The cause of death was from a blow to the head, just like the previous death. A metal bat was found at the crime scene covered in blood."

"That's not a normal method of suicide." I responded. If Sato did have something to do with Kuzuryu's death, it would have made sense for her to feel guilty and commit suicide. But like this? Sato hated Kuzuryu and this death made it look like it was a tribute to the dead yakuza member. There's no way Sato could have killed herself with that metal bat. Someone else must have done it.

"That was exactly what Jin had said," Kizakura smiled thoughtfully. He leaned closer and whispered in my ear. "He said that this was probably the work of the 'Steering Committee.'"

I blinked. "The Steering Committee?"

Kizakura let out a small chuckle, took out a metal flask from his coat pocket and took a small swig, "Oh, that's just a name Jin calls the board members sometimes. They usually are the ones who control the most of the media leakage about the school, overriding people who disagree with them."

So the board members are the ones who have the power in this school? I almost feel bad for putting so much blame on Kirigiri for how bad the school has turned out. I understand why they wanted to cover up what really happened to Kuzuryu and Sato but if word gets out that they are covering it up, Hope's Peak will lose the reputation the Steering Committee was trying to protect. If a board like this does exist, I need to find out everything I can about them.

Kizakura probably shouldn't have told me this, but I'm glad he did. This may get me a step closer to finding out what's really going on.

"You look awfully serious all of a sudden." Kizakura noted, snapping me out of my thoughts. He held his flask out to me. "Want a sip? It might help you relax."

"No thank you." I stood up from my chair and walked past him. Although I was upset that I couldn't stop Kuzuryu and Sato from dying, I know I can find a way to stop anything bad from happening. These deaths were a setback, but at least I'm getting closer to completing my original mission. "I have to get back to my class. Thank you for informing me about the recent news."

***

I was walking back to the school entrance when I heard some voices arguing with each other. Wondering why they sounded familiar, I crept closer. As soon as I was near the gate, I saw Hinata sitting on the ground looking up at a guard. My eyes widened slightly to see who was standing over him.

"I'll let this slide just this once. Now hurry up and get lost."

It was true that I had assigned Sakakura the task of being part of Hope's Peak security so he could gather Intel, but I didn't think I would see him around campus. Now, here he was arguing with my only living lead to the Reserve Course.

"Wait! Please…" Hinata pleaded, desperation leaking into his voice. "Tell me the truth! I can't accept this!"

"You want the truth?" Sakakura asked. He had a hand over his chin in thought. "Fine, I'll tell you. An unfortunate girl was killed by someone who sneaked into the school. And her classmate also died from the shock of it all. That's the end of it."

"That's bull!" Hinata yelled. I couldn't see his face from the angle I was at, but he sounded infuriated. "You're just trying to sweep the problem under the rug!"

Sakakura let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. "Reserve Course students are easily replaced. I just don't have time to deal with it every time one of you dies…"

"What did you say?! Why, you…" Hinata leaped to his feet and swung a few punches at Sakakura. I have not known Hinata for very long, but I will say that there is something revering about the way he acts. Most people would be afraid to take on a security guard like that, especially if he was the former Ultimate Boxer. Not Hinata. Of course, his thoughts were clearly misguided with rage, but the display was certainly admirable. After dodging one of Hinata's swings, Sakakura found an opening on the side of Hinata's chest and utilized it. The Reserve Course boy fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

Sakakura adjusted the tie of his jacket. "If you don't have talent, just pay money to compensate for it. It's a pain when someone gets killed. Don't sully the name of Hope's Peak, you scum." He spit on Hinata in disgust.

"Yeah, she had no talent…" Hinata said through gritted teeth, still lying on the ground and looking up at Sakakura. "So what? All lives are equal!"

"No, they aren't." Sakakura put his foot down on Hinata's shoulder blade, causing the boy to grunt in pain. "Give up! You can't make diamonds out of scrap metal. Act like a normal high school student, and hang out with the other normal students, and enjoy your lives, thinking you're all great. Got it? I know kids like you… You start acting all special, just because you interact with the Main Course a little." He made a small 'tsk' noise before continuing. "Honestly, this is why I hate normal people. You cling to the talent of the Main Course students like crap trailing behind goldfish."

"You're wrong…"

The expression on Sakakura's face changed into something a little more... surprised. It was as if he was not expecting Hinata to talk back to him. "Huh?"

"There's more to life than just talent…" Hinata rasped out. The words made me flinch. That was exactly what I had tried to teach my students. It felt odd hearing it from a Reserve Course student, but at the same time it made me feel delighted that he was using those words.

The features of Sakakura's face softened slightly. He must have recognized the words from when we used to be back in school together. "Well said. You're right. The talentless should act as befits them. If you have time to envy the talented, use that time to live like a gear in a machine. For people like you, who have no talent, you don't need to think. If you live life idly, groveling before your betters, nothing can make you happier."

At this, Hinata finally regained his strength to fight. He pushed Sakakura's leg off of him and leaped to his feet, letting out a battle cry. The boy was on fire. Not literally of course, because that would be bad, but he was filled with so much passion it felt like nothing could stop him. He took a few swings at Sakakura, missing his first one and colliding with Sakakura's jaw on his second.

"Tsk," Sakakura winced and let his fingers glaze over the blood resting on his chin. Uh oh, I had seen that look of annoyance too many times to know what happens next. He positioned himself in a boxing stance and snarled, "How about a nice nap in the hospital kid?!"

Before the fight could continue any further, I raised my voice, "Stand down, Sakakura!"

Mid-punch, Sakakura froze. He lowered his fist and scanned the area around him, searching for where my voice came from. When he found it, his eyes widened, "Munakata!"

"Hinata, what do you think you're doing here?" My gaze fell on the boy's lip, which was bloody and cut thanks to Sakakura. "You should be back in class by now."

"So should you! But yet, here you are talking to me! What kind of teacher do you think you are, huh?" Hinata glared at me before turning on his heel and walking away.

I rushed after him and grabbed his shoulder, jerking him back so he could look at me. "Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you, boy! You know better than to waltz up to the main entrance, so why don't you explain to me what the hell you're doing?"

"Investigating," He replied, jerking his shoulder away from me as if I had burned him, "but that's why you're out here too, right? That's why you asked me all those questions about the Reserve Course last time you saw me."

"Yes, I am investigating something." I admitted. I could've tried to deny it, but if I did the conversation would go nowhere. "And it might be similar to what you are investigating. You want to know more about what happened to Kuzuryu and Sato, right?" His eyes widened with interest. "Considering your reaction just now, I'm going to assume that I'm right. If that's the case, then I'm going to have to ask you to stop investigating the case at once."

"What?"

"This is a serious matter that you should stay away from."

"Stay away from?" Hinata scoffed. He narrowed his eyes at me. "Hope's Peak Academy is trying to cover up it up with a fake story. Everyone should know the truth about what really happened to Kuzuryu."

"Oh?" I involuntarily tilted my head to the side in wonder. "And what really happened?"

"I… I don't know yet." He confessed, not meeting my gaze. "But this story about a suspicious intruder… it's too convenient to be true. And even if there was an intruder, the guards would have stopped them like how they stopped me. Besides, why would they go after Kuzuryu?"

"She is a member of the Kuzuryu clan." I said. "The life of a yakuza is filled with violence. It could have been the result of a gang war with a different clan."

"That still doesn't make sense!" Hinata shook his head. "If they wanted to hurt the Kuzuryu clan, it would have made more sense if they targeted her older brother in the Main Course. This seems too personal to be a result of gang violence."

"You're making a lot of assumptions." I pointed out. "Do you have any evidence that could back up your claims?"

"No," He admitted, though this time he did not avoid my gaze, "Do you have any evidence that could back up your rival clan theory?"

He had me there. I had said that only to give him a rational story and motive so he could stop investigating, but I suppose it wasn't rational enough. "No," I replied, "But just because you're a minor who wants to play vigilante doesn't mean that you should be investigating a closed case. And before you say anything, I'm only investigating this so I can learn more about how the board operates. My investigation is different than yours. Now, I think I have an idea what the answer might be, but I'm going to ask you anyways. Why are you investigating the deaths of Kuzuryu and Sato?"

"Look, Kuzuryu…" He furrowed his eyebrows as if he was trying to find the right words to say, "She and I were never that close but she shouldn't have died like this. If the school wants to cover up her death for their own selfish reasons, fine. But I think people deserve to know the truth!"

"The board is doing their job by covering up what really happened. Can you really fault them for that?" I closed my eyes. "It may not seem like it, but it is better if the truth about Kuzuryu's death were never discovered. Hope's Peak Academy has a reputation to keep and something like this would tarnish it." Saying the words aloud made me want to vomit but it was what I had to tell Hinata. I still had to enforce Hope's Peak motto, no matter how twisted the committee members make it. I opened my eyes to see him scowling at me. "I'm asking you to stop investigating. If you keep going down this path, you will get yourself killed. Nanami would be worried if you were to disappear."

I would have thought that mentioning Nanami would help Hinata come to his senses, but I was dead wrong. He snapped at me, not bothering to hide his frustration. "There are murderers lurking within the school and Hope's Peak is trying to cover it up. With people like that hiding in our midst and not brought to justice, they could do harm to the other students… to Nanami even. That's why I have to keep investigating so I can prevent this from happening in the future!"

I shook my head. What the hell was he talking about? Is he also feeling guilty for their murders? "You can't protect anyone if you get killed in the process!"

"Maybe that won't matter! After all, your lapdog over there says that I'm easily replaceable since I'm a Reserve Course student." I could hear Sakakura behind me, ready to snap, so I gave him a quick glance over my shoulder and shook my head. Sakakura stilled and lowered his head to the ground. When I turned back to Hinata, the boy was glaring at me with an indescribable about of fury. "Only the talented people deserve to fight for what they want, is that it?"

I tried reaching out to him with my hand. "Hinata, please…"

"Why do you even care? You're not my teacher, so stop acting like it!" With that, he knocked my hand away and stormed off, not looking back.

He might as well have slapped me.

Sakakura came and stood next to me, watching Hinata trudge off. "I hope you haven't forgotten what we're really here for. You're the one who wanted to investigate the dark side of the school. There's no need to go sticking up for Reserve Course students."

"I know that, but he was one of my only leads to finding out more about the Reserve Course." I explained. "Surely you understand why I wanted to keep his jaw intact."

"There's no way I could've known he was your informant. He looks just like any other boring Reserve Course student." Sakakura let out a sigh before continuing. "It's like you said, Hope's Peak is rotten to the core now. They're trying to sweep the incident with the Kuzuryu brat under the rug."

"It's no surprise. It's not even a secret. The other teachers in the school have been talking like that, too. I have been asked to explain it to my students later."

"It pisses me off… The teachers and trustees are only thinking of self-preservation."

"Even so, I would appreciate it if you refrain from taking your anger out on Reserve Course students, especially that one." I suggested, though both of us knew it was meant as an order.

"If he noses around and learns too much, that kid is the one who'll die." Sakakura stated, giving me a look of warning.

"He won't be a problem." I stated simply. At least, he better not be a problem. "Hinata is not involved in any of this."

Sakakura let out a snort of derision. "He will be if he keeps asking questions like those."

"Then we make sure he doesn't get into trouble." I said. "He may be just a Reserve Course student, but we don't need another death at Hope's Peak… considering we already have two this year."

"Fine, fine," Sakakura sighed in compliance. He didn't seem to really agree with what I said, but he knew when to pick his battles with me.

"But… It's true that Hope's Peak Academy is going down the wrong path." I admitted. It wasn't something I was proud to say, since this was my former school, but it was true. I looked at Sakakura and gave him a small confident smile. "It's a good thing I'm the only one who can fix it."

The corner of his lips turned upwards as Sakakura gave me a smile. "Yeah, you're the only one."

We said our goodbyes and parted in different directions. Knowing that Sakakura would leave Hinata alone, it made me feel confident that nothing would happen to him. I could continue my investigation and hopefully, when he calms down, Hinata could tell me more about the situation in the Reserve Course.

Too bad that was the last time I ever saw Hinata…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the liberty of using some of the lines from the episode to stay in character but the rest of the lines, and especially Munakata's lines, I created.
> 
> Because I knew people were waiting on me to finish this, I didn't proofread it as much as I usually do so I hope there aren't too many mistakes. A part of me likes how I'm starting to put everything together in this chapter but another part of me is disappointed in how it turned out. I hope it wasn't too terrible!
> 
> I like writing for Sato! I kind of wish we knew more about her before she died, like maybe a first name? I can see a small part of myself in Sato when I was writing for her and I even kind of look like her... back when my hair was longer. Honestly, I wish we had more time to know more about Kuzuryu and Sato before they died... they just... they deserve better than this.
> 
> I'm not sure when the next update will be. Like I briefly mentioned earlier, I'll be traveling to Japan next month so I don't know how much time I'll have to write but I'm going to give it my best. After all, one of my favorite episodes is up next~! (Upupupu I can already feel the despair! Can you?)
> 
> Feel free to follow/favorite or review below. You don't have to, of course, but it provides motivation and happiness when you do. Until next time!


	4. The Melancholy, Surprise, and Disappearence of Nagito Komaeda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Kuzuryu and Sato die, a new threat enters the school and Munakata finds out it involves on of his own. Conversations are held and negotiations are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N K8wolfx here! I have not given up on this story nor do I intend to, but I apologize once again for the long wait. Once I got back from Japan, it was hard to get back into the writing mood. Many scenes in here were redone multiple times because of it. But, I plan on seeing this through to the end no matter how many years it takes, so I hope you will join me in this long conquest towards an unknown ending.
> 
> This is a long chapter because, with Komaeda involved, things tend to get a little more complicated. Either way, let's get this story rolling again starting from what's written down below! Enjoy~!

"So, let me get this straight," I was on my lunch break when Nagito Komaeda decided to speak with me. "You want me to cancel the exam?"

"Yes." He nodded simply, a polite smile etched into his face.

Today, I had read to the students a paper sent from the principal explaining the requirements and importance of the practical exams. It was the only major test given to the students, for if they failed that then they were not worthy of staying in Hope's Peak. While it may sound harsh, everyone has to go through it. Yet, the exam is quite simple. All the student has to do is show off their talent. I remember having no problems with my practical exams. I'm sure Yukizome and Sakakura could say the same.

The only thing that makes this year's practical exam different is that it's only been two days since Kuzuryu and Sato were found dead. "After what happened, I can understand why you would request…"

"Unlike me, the other are so full of talent they can easily ace any exam. But," Komaeda held out his hands as if he were gesturing to everyone in the school around him, "I want everyone to take the exam when they're at their best. What I want to see is the moment when all their talents shine most brightly."

Shining talents is what Hope's Peak is all about. Sometimes I wonder if Komaeda reads the Hope's Peak manifesto in his sleep. "Again, I understand. As much as I would love for that to happen, I'm afraid I can't allow that. Supposedly, there will be media coverage. Canceling them now is out of the question."

"Is that so?" Komaeda put a hand up to his chin in thought, "I understand."

I blinked. That went surprisingly well. I was expecting him to put up more of an argument. "Is that all you needed, Komaeda?"

"Yes," He bowed quickly and made his way towards the door, "thank you Mr. Munakata."

As he left, I had a sick feeling in my stomach. Something about this exchange seemed off. Maybe it was because I myself had not recovered from the students' deaths, which made no sense since they were just simple Reserve Course youngsters, but I sensed something bad was going to happen.

Komaeda is a hard worker. His work cleaning the classroom on the first day is evidence of that. But he also has a stubborn streak in him. No matter how many times someone insists he belongs in this school, he laughs it off saying that he is 'clearly not worthy of being in the presence of hope'. For him to give up so suddenly… No, it is probably nothing. Maybe he just knows that there are some issues that shouldn't be pushed.

The sick feeling doesn't go away. Especially after a bomb threat is placed on the school the next day.

***

Kizakura was the one to tell me about the note outside the gymnasium; something about "flames of arson" being involved. The note was calling for the practical exams to be postponed or else bad things were going to happen. As to who initiated the threat, Sakakura says that security has no leads. The person responsible was smart enough to cut out the characters from old magazines to write the message. Therefore, it was useless to check anyone's handwriting for a match.

While security may not have any leads, I had one. The conversation I had with Komaeda is the first thing I thought of when Kizakura mentioned the exams. The fact that this is what Komaeda wanted in the first place makes it all the more suspicious. However, this is the Ultimate Lucky Student. It's possible that Komaeda is just lucky for having everything go his way. But, I don't want to take any chances. By doing nothing, Kuzuryu and Sato were killed. That was a mistake that could have been easily avoided. If I do nothing here, what would happen this time?

The day of the exams, I was about to knock on Komaeda's door when it opened to reveal the student in question. Not expecting anyone outside his dorm room, Komaeda paused as he laid eyes on me. He was carrying a tray that had five plastic cups filled with some sort of drink. There was also a large bag swung over his shoulder. I had no idea where he was going with those kinds of things, but for some reason he reminded me of a delivery boy. "Mr. Munakata? What are you doing here?"

"There is something I wish to discuss with you." I said simply. "I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time."

"I hate to be rude, especially to someone far superior to myself, but I was just about to leave…" Komaeda said, looking down at the tray in front of him.

"This shouldn't take long," I assured him. Taking a quick peek at the room behind him, I asked, "May I come in?"

Komaeda hummed in contemplation before giving me a warm smile. "Well, I suppose a few minutes won't make much of a difference." He stood off to the side and held the door open with his foot. "Make yourself at home!"

Walking past him, I was greeted with the small confines of a Hope's Peak dorm room. Nostalgia made me smile at how neat and orderly it looked. It feels just like the old days, minus Komaeda's plethora of personal belongings. Images of Yukizome, Sakakura, and I flashed before my eyes; eating in the dorms, playing games, studying together, talking to each other about the future. It's amazing how remembering something as simple as a room, even if it's not the same room, can make someone's heart feel ten times lighter.

By now, Komaeda had closed the door and was setting the tray down on his dresser. He slid the bag off his shoulder and it dropped to the floor with a thud. "So… here we are! It must seem like forever ago since you were in a dorm room, right?"

"I'm not that old, Komaeda." I reminded him, though it came out like a warning. "It's only been about a year since I was last here."

"Of course, my apologies!" He let out a low chuckle and flopped onto his bed, resting his hands behind his head in a comfortable position. "Though, a lot can happen in a year…"

"But a few minutes won't make a difference?"

"I did say that, didn't I?" Komaeda smiled ruefully. He turned his head so he could look at me. "Sorry, that was a poor choice of words. I just imagine the discussion we are about to have isn't too serious, is it?"

"Let's hope it doesn't turn out that way." I took a seat in a chair close to his desk. Now that the stage was set, all I had to do was determine if the bomb was Komaeda's doing without him realizing what I was up to. This was just like a debate in student council. I exhaled a deep breath. "I was just… concerned about how you're handling the recent deaths."

"Concerned? About someone like me? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I think I'm doing fine! After all, it was just a couple of Reserve Course students, so the school didn't lose anything valuable." Komaeda replied a little too cheerfully. "Personally, I'm more concerned about how the other students are handling it. Koizumi's weeping, Kuzuryu's grieving; their sadness seems to have rubbed off on their closest friends as well. Saionji and Pekoyama seem so gloomy nowadays, don't you think?"

"And that's why you asked for the exams to be cancelled, correct?"

"They all have such amazing talent compared to someone like me! I want them to shine as bright as the morning sun with all of that magnificent hope! But, for that to happen, they need to be at their absolute best. And considering how the recent deaths have taken their toll on their state of mind, wouldn't it be better to push back the exams so they have more time to properly prepare for them? It's a win-win for both the staff and the students." Komaeda flung his legs over the side of his bed and adjusted to an upright sitting position, staring me down with a tranquil smile. "Is that why you came over here? Are you reconsidering my offer?"

"No," I responded, shaking my head. "Even if I could, I wouldn't be able to do so at this point. The practical exams are already underway. There's no way I could stop it."

"I see." Komaeda leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "If that's true, that doesn't quite explain why you want to talk to me. It must be a waste of time to argue about 'what ifs'. There must be something more important for you to do than speak with scum like me!"

It was an attempt to get rid of me. Komaeda may be in a hurry, but if it involves bombing the gymnasium, I had to keep stalling. "Talking to any of my students is not a waste of time."

"For any of your other students, I would have to agree. But, since you're sitting here chatting with me, I think you need to reconsider that statement."

"You need to stop being so hard on yourself." I told him, leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest. "There is a reason you are in the Main Course and not the Reserve Course. I understand you think that having luck isn't considered a talent. But, if the researchers believe that it is worth studying, then there must be something special about what happens to you."

"Interesting," Komaeda's smile grew wider; a glimmer of curiosity sparking in his eyes, "you're one of the few people who refer to it as something that 'happens to me' rather than something I can do."

"It's luck," I shrugged. "It's not a skill that can be controlled no matter how many rabbit's foot, four leaf clovers, or horseshoes you possess. Of course, charms like those are useless when it comes to true luck."

"Tell me, Mr. Munakata," Komaeda's eyes seemed to turn darker as he spoke, "have you ever had really bad luck?"

I blinked. Bad luck? "And, what do you mean by that?"

"The kind of luck where everything that can go wrong, will go wrong," His voice lowers to a darker and more serious octave, "And then, there is no way to reverse it. It's luck, as you say, but really bad luck. Piles of misfortune collapsing on top of you like a garbage load until it becomes so suffocating that you can hardly breathe. And as you realize how ridiculous the whole thing is, your laughter is powerful enough to shake the very foundation!"

"That's… an interesting way of putting it." I stated. The imagery he applied to his explanation made the whole thing sound so unsettling. But somehow, I could see myself finding a way to relate to it. "There may have been a few days in my life like that, I suppose. Though, I'm not sure if it was to that extreme…" I paused, letting the sentence sit before a question formed in my head. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh? No reason, really," Komaeda let out a carefree chuckle, and the seriousness of the conversation beforehand seemed to drop off the face of the earth. "I was merely curious about your experiences with luck. The way you described the value of luck as a talent… it made me wonder 'how much do you really know about luck itself?' Testing you seemed to be the only way to answer that."

"And what is your conclusion?" I asked, quickly adding, "If I'm allowed to know, of course…"

Komaeda shrugged, "Not as much as I'd hoped."

"Oh," I have no idea what kind of reaction I was expecting, but his response somehow left me disappointed in myself. "I see."

"However, if you don't mind," Komaeda continued, "I'd like to offer some free advice."

"Advice?"

"When it seems like the whole world is against you, or if you feel like nothing is going right…" Komaeda began. "Just remember… that you should never give up hope! Whatever bad luck happens to you, there will be good luck right after it! When the world is painted with the dreary effects of despair, there is always a bright shining hope that comes after it. That has always been the case for me." He let out a nervous laugh. "It may seem impertinent to believe in it yourself, after it came out of the mouth of someone like-"

"No, I don't think it's crazy at all." I shook my head. Komaeda gaped at me, waiting for me to continue. "When despair surrounds you, it breeds hope. Good luck is the hope that comes after bad luck. So, when a despairful situation of bad luck arises, the good luck that comes after it will be strong enough to make up for the terrible misfortune in the first place."

"Yes, YES! That's exactly it!" Komaeda beamed. His eyes seemed to gleam like a diamond. "You actually understand!"

"It's not hard to comprehend. Imagine the bad luck we have at the moment." I explained, then internally cringed at the new topic of conversation. It was my job to investigate Komaeda without speaking of the situation. This topic is too close to home.

"The bad luck at the moment…" Komaeda pondered aloud, smiling softly. "You're talking about the bomb threat at the gymnasium, right?"

Well, if Komaeda is willing to talk about it so openly, there's no way I can stop now. "Someone made a bomb threat to the school's gymnasium. If the person responsible were to trigger the bomb, that would be bad luck because of the possibility of casualties. But the good luck that could come from that would be better security, a more efficient gymnasium for students, and people coming together for a common cause."

"Careful Mr. Munakata," Komaeda smirked, and my heart skipped a beat at the fear of being caught, "it almost sounds like you want the mastermind to detonate the gym."

"Oh, I'm not encouraging them to do so." I corrected him, relaxing my shoulders and watching his face for any change in emotion. "I'm only saying I understand why someone would attempt it in the first place. However, that does not make it right. Hope's Peak has a highly undisputable reputation and a bomb like this would tarnish it. As of right now, Hope's Peak does not need a disaster to bring people together. What it really needs is students who are willing to showcase their talents despite the tragedy of recent deaths. Hope can be born from that as well, can it not?"

"No, that's wrong." Komaeda shook his head like a five year old that didn't get what he wanted for Christmas. "A hope like that isn't strong enough-"

"But it does turn out as hope, doesn't it?" I had an idea of where this conversation was going, but I didn't feel like arguing with Komaeda about the meaning of hope.

"Yes, it is hope." Komaeda admitted through clenched teeth. "But it's not absolute hope!"

I unconsciously raised an eyebrow. "Absolute hope?"

"The kind of hope that can be born from two hopes battling it out! The hope that wins is the one who is strong enough to defeat any despair! I think it would be remarkably fitting goal for Ultimates to achieve! After all, what better place for hope to spring forth than in Hope's Peak Academy itself?"

"Komaeda," I sighed, wondering how this boy managed to have such a twisted outlook on life, "does a hope like that really exist? Have you truly seen absolute hope with your own two eyes?"

"I…" For once, it seems Komaeda is at a loss for words. A hand rests on his chin as he mulls over an acceptable response. I can practically see him making a pros and cons list in his head. Finally, after a long moment of silence, Komaeda stands up. "Thank you Mr. Munakata. You have given me something to think about until class. However, I really should be going right now. Did we cover everything you needed to talk about?"

There was no way I could stall him any longer. I never came to the solution that I wanted to get to, but it would be oddly suspicious if I were to keep him from leaving his own dorm. "Yes, we're done here."

"Thank you. I'll be going now." Komaeda walked over and grabbed the tray of drinks on his dresser.

"However, if I may," I stood up from my chair and gestured to the tray he was holding. "What are those drinks for?"

"Oh, this?" Komaeda gave me a lighthearted smile. "It's just some coffee for the examiners. After cycling through so many amazing talents, they need to keep up their energy. I thought I might deliver some as a thank you for all their hard work!"

"Did you make it yourself?" I asked and he nodded. "In that case, can I try some?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone else would want to try it so I only made enough for five." Komaeda shrugged. "Maybe I can give you some the next time we have to talk like this."

"I don't plan on coming here again." I told him. I grabbed one of the cups on the tray and brought it so it was floating in front of my face. This was extremely risky, and rude, but I wanted to see what he would do if I tried it.

"I-I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Komaeda warned, though he had a look of panic on his face. He set the tray down on the dresser and let out a nervous chuckle. "Surely, since it was made by someone like me, it would probably taste terrible."

"Only one way to find out, I suppose. Were you really going to hand this to the examiners without knowing what it tasted like? That would be unacceptable." I asked him, staring at the cup in my hand and hoping it wasn't poisoned. "If you won't test it first, I can do it. I'll only drink a small amount so they won't notice-"

As I was brought it up to my lips, a hand yanked at my wrist. I let out a small noise of surprise and let go of the cup. The coffee splashed onto my chest, soaking my shirt and tie. Thankfully, it was not steaming hot; it was actually rather lukewarm. However, it will not be fun walking around with a giant stain on my shirt. I looked at Komaeda, who was staring back at me with wide eyes. He had not let go of me.

"I… I'm sorry." Komaeda slowly released my wrist and took a few steps back. His gaze shifted to the floor where the empty plastic cup was lying. "For me to accidently spill the cup and for it to land on your shirt… such bad luck. This is the worst."

"It's fine." I assured him, straightening my suit jacket… which surprisingly didn't get hit as badly as the rest of my chest. "It's just a cup of coffee. At least none of the actual liquid landed on the floor…"

"Yeah," Komaeda replied flatly, still not meeting my eyes. He seemed disappointed, "But now there won't be enough coffee to bring to the examiners."

"I'm sure they'll be fine without it." I pinched some of the fabric of my shirt, trying to keep it from clinging to my skin. "Do you have any napkins I could use?"

"Oh, yes, of course! I think I left a few in my bag…" He kneeled down in front of his bag and zipped it open. I waited for him to retrieve the napkins but he was frozen in time. He only whispered a soft but shaky, "What?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No! Well… I mean, I thought I had… napkins… in here," Inside was a medicine box, and Komaeda stared at it as if he had never seen it before. His shoulders slumped and he turned to me with a strained smile, "but I seemed to have misplaced them. I'm sorry!"

"It's fine. I can go change back at my place or…" I realized that Sakakura's place might be closer from here. It would also give me a reason to discuss the progress of our investigations. I moved past him towards the door. "Thank you for speaking with me. I'm sorry about the coffee."

"Don't worry," He responded, a sad smile on his face. "It was just my luck…"

***

I had to avoid other people's stares as I made my way to Sakakura's apartment, but it was better taking the short route than taking the long route back to my place. When I finally arrived, I knocked on the door. There was no answer. Hoping that Sakakura was just waking up from sleeping, I knocked again.

"Geez, I'm coming! Just hold your shit-" The door swung open to reveal the disgruntled former boxer adjusting his uniform. When he finally took notice of me, his eyes widened. "Munakata? What happened to you?"

"Long story," I replied, "Can I borrow a shirt?"

"Uh, yeah, come in." I followed him into his apartment, closing the door behind me.

I stood in the living room as he retreated down a hallway to fetch me a clean shirt. It was a small apartment, but he managed to make it work. In the center of the room was a wooden coffee table that had a few papers lying on it. He had a dark rug that was large enough to rest underneath the coffee table and an oddly colored couch. There were a few pictures lined up on some of the shelves. Most of them were from our time at Hope's Peak. I smiled at the picture of Yukizome, Sakakura and I after our graduation ceremony. It was bordered in a nice brown frame and was displayed front and center. Towards the back, there was a blue framed picture that was facing the wall. Curious as to what it was, I reached for it and-

"Here," Before I could grab the frame, a shirt was tossed in my direction.

It landed on my head, preventing me from seeing. I grabbed the light blue shirt and looked at it. "Didn't I give this to you for your birthday last year?"

"Yeah, it just came out of the wash too." Sakakura answered, frowning at the table of pictures. "Looking through my stuff?"

"Just remembering the old days," I walked over to the couch and set the shirt down on the armrest. Then, I peeled my jacket off, slipped off my tie, and started to undo the buttons of my shirt.

"You're gonna do that here?" Sakakura's eyes widened so much, he almost looked scandalized.

"I don't have much time." I told him. "Where else would I do it?"

"I… don't know." He picked up my discarded tie and examined it. "Smells like coffee."

"Komaeda spilled it on… well, technically I spilled it on myself by accident." I explained while taking off my shirt. "I'm certain he was the one behind the bomb threat so I went to investigate. He had coffee prepared for the examiners and stopped me from drinking it. There must have been something in that coffee if he didn't want me to touch it! Or maybe," I stopped moving and stared at the empty space in front of me, "maybe I'm overthinking this. Maybe he was telling the truth and didn't want to waste the examiner's coffee."

"It still sounds… suspicious." Sakakura said hesitantly. I could feel his eyes on me while I had my back turned to him.

It made my skin crawl out of self-consciousness. "You're staring."

"S-Sorry!" I handed him my shirt and he turned away and set it on the coffee table along with my tie. "A-Anyways," he cleared his throat, "speaking of brats who get into trouble, that Reserve Course kid hasn't come back since that incident at the gates. Seems like you talked some sense into him."

"Huh, that's odd. I haven't seen Hinata since." I put on the blue shirt and started buttoning it. "Usually, I find him sitting on the benches by the fountain or playing with Nanami."

"Who knows what Reserve Course students do these days?" Sakakura replied gruffly. Aware that the current conversation had reached a dead end, he decided to change the topic. "Have you learned anything more about the darker side of Hope's Peak?"

"I haven't had much time to investigate lately." I admitted, struggling briefly on fastening the top button of my shirt before I managed to get it through. "I've been so busy trying to take care of my students that I haven't had as much time as I'd like."

"I'll help out on my side," Sakakura offered. I turned to see him leaning by the pictures with his arms crossed. "I'll find out as much as I can for you. But, you need to stop being distracted with all of these kids running around. You're becoming soft."

I fastened the last button on my shirt and narrowed my eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

"Look, all I'm saying is that, ever since we got back… you've been more of a teacher than an investigator." Sakakura clarified, looking off to the side. "While it's nice to be back, we can't get too absorbed by the atmosphere."

"I am not absorbed with Hope's Peak." I reminded him, though it felt more like I was reminding myself. "I'm just doing my job."

"Yeah," Sakakura grunted, his gaze snapping back to meet my own, "which one?"

"Both!" I retorted. Though, I had to admit, Sakakura did have a point. I've been so caught up in preventing chaos that I haven't found out much from the Reserve Course at all. The only thing I've learned is that the Reserve Course is a scam initiated by the board. But, why would the board need money from talentless nobodies? What is that money going towards?

The Hope's Peak that I attended and the Hope's Peak that my students currently attend are completely different from one another. I just needed to remember that, "Hey, Sakakura. Do you ever wish we were still back in high school?"

"Huh?" Sakakura turned to me with an incredulous look. "Why are you being sentimental all of a sudden?"

"Visiting the dorms today… it reminded me of when things used to be simpler." I explained, glancing at the graduation photo behind Sakakura, "When it was just you, me, and Yukizome taking on the world together… pushing forward towards our ideals. I want to keep pushing forth and have you and Yukizome by my side. Yet, a part of me misses the way it used to be… It's strange, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is strange." Sakakura glanced off to the side. "But, I get it. It's hard to watch these talented students walk by knowing that I used to be where they are. They're probably going to make all the same mistakes that we made."

"Yeah," I nodded, smiling softly.

Sakakura locked eyes with me and smiled, letting out a small chuckle. Then, his smile faded away and his gaze shifted to the floor. "Listen, Munakata-"

Suddenly, the apartment started to shake. Dust fell from the ceiling and the picture frames seemed to move from the quaking momentum. I looked to Sakakura for an explanation, but he seemed just as shocked as I felt. Then, the shaking stopped just as suddenly as it had begun. Sakakura furrowed his eyebrows, "What the hell was that? That wasn't an earthquake, was it?"

I strode to the window and spotted black fumes in the distance. It looked to be coming from the direction of… "No! The gymnasium is gone!"

"What?" Sakakura hissed behind me, peeking out the window over my shoulder. "Security searched the entire gym and couldn't find a bomb anywhere! How the hell did this happen?!"

"I don't know, but we shouldn't stand around doing nothing." I stepped towards the door and flung it open. As a cool breeze hit my face, I looked back at Sakakura, "We need to find out what happened."

"Leave it to me!" Sakakura punched his open palm with determination.

"I'm coming with you." I told him, turning my attention back to the dark smoke rising over the treetops. "I want to see it for myself."

***

The two of us sprinted to where the gymnasium should have been, our feet pounding into the pavement. When we arrived, all that was left from the explosion was a giant pile of rubble. A couple students had gathered to gawk at the destruction, but were pushed back by security guards if they got too close. Sakakura cursed under his breath and turned to me. "I have to help calm down the crowds."

"Understood," I nodded.

Sakakura nodded back before rushing over to the other security guards. While he did crowd control, I listened to some of the testimonies given by witnesses inside the gymnasium. From what I heard, I had trouble believing it.

They say that Kimura was the one with the bomb.

Apparently, there was an argument between students Seiko Kimura and Ruruka Ando. Ando, the Ultimate Confectioner, had failed her practical exam and kept blaming Kimura for it, to which the Ultimate Pharmacist denied. They kept screaming at each other while a small Pomeranian somehow made its way onstage, looking for food. However, the judges refused to give the dog Ando's sweets because of how horrible they were. At some point, Kimura slipped off her bag and unzipped it to retrieve something… and that's when they saw the bomb detonator. The room was stunned into silence until the dog bounced over to Kimura, believing she had food. That's when the dog accidentally stepped on the detonator and the practical exams were officially over.

Images flashed in my mind of a young first year Kimura. She was always polite and caring, if albeit shy. I never talked to her much, but she was always available for anyone who needed her skill as the Ultimate Pharmacist. Sakakura knew her better than I did; he sometimes went to her for painkillers after some of his nastiest fights in the ring. For someone so nice and caring to have a bomb with her… what caused her to snap? Did it have something to do with Ando?

As a young boy finished giving his testimony to a reporter, I pulled him aside. "Can I ask a few questions? Are you sure Kimura was the one to pull out the bomb detonator?"

"Saw it with my own eyes." The boy declared.

"Why did Kimura pull out the bag in the first place?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "She said something about having to help the judges with the laxative problem. It was probably a ruse so she could blow everyone up."

I didn't think it was a ruse. It's too unlike her to blow up the gym for no reason. If she was trying to help the judges, why would she open her bag with the detonator inside it? "And that was all she had? Just the detonator?"

"I think so, though I swear I thought I saw some Dr. Hoppers in there too." The kid let out a small grunt. "Man, you must get really thirsty if you're about to blow up a part of the school! Hehe, though I like Dr. Hoppers too…"

Dr. Hoppers? Those drinks are loaded with sugar! Kimura told me once that she couldn't have sugar because it would mix badly with her medication. That bag couldn't have belonged to her. Also, wasn't that the drink Komaeda got from the vending machine the first time I met him? It's possible that was his bag. The only thing he had in his bag was a medicine box. What if that was Kimura's bag? What if she had opened that bag in the hopes of helping the judges with their laxative problem?

I thanked the kid and walked away from the madness. There was a certain lucky student whom I needed to pay another visit. And he was not going to feel lucky after I was done talking to him.

***

As I was walking to Komaeda's door room, my phone started to buzz against my chest. I stopped and retrieved it from my coat pocket, glancing at the caller ID. The contact name said Yukizome. Wondering why she would be calling me at this time of day, I swiped the screen to the left and held it to my ear. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh thank goodness!" A loud heavy exhale was heard on the other side of the phone. "I should be the one asking you that! I heard about what happened on the news… the bombing incident. I tried to get in contact with you earlier at your desk but you weren't there. I was worried sick!"

"I'm sorry." I apologized, feeling guilty for making her worry. "I haven't been in my office all afternoon."

"Well, at least I know you're alright… though I wish I would have known about it sooner." Yukizome lamented, before returning to her usual chirpiness. "Are your students okay?"

I flinched. It wasn't abnormal for Yukizome to want to know about the students. In fact, most of our conversations usually involved my days of teaching. But this was not the best time to talk about my students, especially since I was about to go confront one of them for destroying a part of Hope's Peak. "None of my students got injured, however…"

"However what? Is something wrong?"

There it was. That hint of worry in her voice. No matter the situation, I can never say no to that voice. "It's just that… Komaeda was the one who initiated the bomb threat. He wasn't the one who caused it to detonate, but it was his plan."

"What?!"

"I have to turn him in." I explained to her as softly as I could. "Kimura is being wrongly accused for the incident. Justice needs to be delivered."

"But," Yukizome paused, probably searching for some reasonable way to argue back. "…This is Komaeda we're talking about! Sure, he's a bit of an oddball… but he's a good kid!"

"His intentions are irrelevant." I explained. "It doesn't matter why he did it. He was the mastermind behind the entire operation. Komaeda has to pay for what he did." This student of mine laid a hand on my school, trying to destroy it. An act like that is unforgiveable, no matter who it is.

"Yes, he should be punished," Yukizome admitted, "But, the school won't be able to expel him for this, will they?"

"Yukizome, he blew up the gymnasium."

"Yes, I know that!" Yukizome sounded weary on the other end. "But, if he gets expelled, he won't be able to graduate with the rest of his class. For someone like him - who has a hard time making friends - that would be terrible!"

"What am I supposed to do? Make sure he doesn't get expelled? And what about Kimura? She did nothing wrong… just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The system is unfair enough as it is but that doesn't mean that Kimura should be punished for it."

"There has to be some way for them both to graduate!" Yukizome exclaimed.

"Well, the only way for that to happen would be if they both got suspended." I mused aloud. "But how am I supposed to do that?"

"If you were about to turn Komaeda in, you must have some sort of evidence, right? That can help clear Kimura of suspicion. And, you're good at negotiating! Maybe there's some way to convince headmaster Kirigiri to give Komaeda a suspension instead of an expulsion! If there's anyone who can do it, I know that person is you!"

It was true. The only person who could save them now is me. And, I did have a plan. I explained it to Yukizome and told her how precarious it could be, but Yukizome sounded determined to have it work. And, she did have a point. Komaeda always seemed so lonely, but it would be great if he could graduate with the rest of his class. "Okay, I'll give it a try. Thank you, Yukizome."

"If you really wanted to thank me, you could call me Chisa!" She teased.

"Maybe next time," I responded. After all, I had some business to take care of.

"Kyosuke, you bully!" I could just imagine her pouting and crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance. The image made me chuckle softly.

After hanging up, I walked the rest of the distance to Komaeda's dorm and lightly rapped on the door. Komaeda's eyes sparkled as he saw me. "Twice in one day? How unexpected! Please, come-"

"Komaeda," A sad smile etched into my face as I looked down at him, "hand me your bag!"

***

At the end of the day, I had a small meeting with Kirigiri and Kizakura discussing everything that I knew about the bombing incident

After listening to my testimony, Kirigiri ordered security to interrogate Kimura about what she had in her bag. When she said she was searching for her medicine box to help the examiners, they knew that Kimura was just an innocent bystander who was unknowingly involved in the mastermind's plan. But because she was the one seen with the detonator, she was given a suspension. Also, for the time being, she was revoked of her lab privileges. That, I believed, was slightly uncalled for. Not only does that hurt her, but it also hurts the students that come to her with aches and illnesses. At least Kimura would be able to return to her lab soon enough.

As for Ando, she got expelled for cheating on her exam. Kirigiri specified that for someone to be so doubtful of their talent that they would resort to cheating, a person like that shouldn't have enrolled in Hope's Peak in the first place. However, Ando wasn't going to be alone. After finding out she got expelled, her boyfriend Izayoi unexpectedly dropped out. He stated that if Ando was no longer a part of Hope's Peak, then there was nothing there for him anymore. Kizakura merely sighed and lamented on his skills as a scout for losing two exceptionally talented students.

Komaeda was harder to deal with. When Kirigiri asked if I knew who the real suspect was, I said nothing. From the way he phrased the question, I could tell Kirigiri already knew. His only reason for asking me was to see where my loyalties lie: with the staff or with my student. As we stared at each other in silence, Kizakura confirmed my suspicions. He explained that there were several eye witnesses who testify Komaeda was the one who triggered the incident. When prompted on this new information, I remained silent. After giving it some thought, Kirigiri acknowledged that even if Komaeda was the mastermind, he did not administer the laxatives or trigger the bomb directly. If he managed to pull the stunt with pure luck, then there was no way the school could let go of someone with such a unique talent. In the end, Komaeda was suspended just like Kimura.

The students were not the only ones in trouble. Kizakura and I were also punished for not being able to stop it. Kirigiri decided to put Kizakura on probation and move me to the Reserve Course. Little does Kirigiri know, his plan would only help me further my investigation. Although I was content with the decision, I knew my class would disagree. When I had my final class with them, aside from Komaeda, I told them I would be back before they knew it. A few of them cried, and my heart ached at the sight, but I knew every single one of them would be okay. And with Nanami there to lead them, I was sure of it.

After my last class with the Main Course, I took the long way back to my place. For some reason, I felt the need to walk around and clear my head. But, as I started walking, my feet would shuffle rather than march. It almost seemed as if my feet were heavier then what they used to be. Brushing it off, I continued to shuffle down the sidewalk until I noticed something.

Off in the distance, I saw Kimura sitting down on a bench. Her bag was on her lap and her eyes were downcast to the floor. My feet came to a stop and I couldn't help but stare. After all the trouble she went through, and with how much I tried to help her, it hardly seemed like it was enough. Being suspended was one thing, but losing her lab privileges was another. She still deserved better.

Without thinking, I walked over and stood in front of her. Kimura slowly lifted her gaze to meet mine, eyes widening slightly, "Munakata?"

"Hello Kimura," I smiled and help out my hand to her, "I have a job offer that I would like to give you, if you're interested."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I took the liberty of using some of the lines from the episode to stay i character but the rest of the lines, and especially Munakata's lines, I created.
> 
> Someone should restrain me from writing scenes with Komaeda in it. He is my precious boy and I love writing for him, but it tends to turn into a (hope) tangent after a while. Like, the Komaeda scene was probably the longest section of this chapter and I'm not sure if that's a good thing.
> 
> Just to clarify, since I'm not sure how many people got the reference; the blue framed picture that Sakakura stopped Munakata from seeing was, in fact, the picture of Munakata that we all know and love. (Or at least, the one of Munakata that Sakakura loves! Upupupupu~!)
> 
> Updates are probably going to be slow since I am back in school and physics is kicking my ass, but I will try to update as soon as possible. Next chapter will be about teaching in the Reserve Course. Hopefully, Munakata's investigation starts to pick up speed as he learns more about the Kamukura project, but we can only hope so at this point, right?
> 
> Feel free to kudos/comment or subscribe below. You don't have to, of course, but it provides motivation and happiness when you do. Until next time!


	5. Beginning of the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Munakata debuts in his role of the Reserve Course teacher. He learns things about funding, about Hinata, about the students, and even a little bit about himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it's been a while since I've last updated and I'm sorry about that. It's hard juggling two multi-chapter fics with both your school life and work life. I'll try to update as much as possible but I cannot promise anything.
> 
> This is a little shorter than some of my other chapters but I will make up for it with time. Personally, I'm happy with how it turned out but I will leave it up to you guys on what you think of this chapter.
> 
> Not much else to say here except we finally get to see Munakata in the Reserve Course, so I hope you enjoy it~!

For such a prestigious school like Hope's Peak, the architectural layout was always a sight to behold. Of course, this included the newly constructed Reserve Course buildings, because it was still a part of Hope's Peak Academy. However, as I stood outside the entrance gates on my first day as a Reserve Course teacher, the building looked rather dull and lifeless compared to the rest of the buildings on campus. I took a deep breath and made my way to the front entrance.

I scanned the hallways looking for Classroom 1-B. When I found it, I slid open the door and stepped inside. Sure enough, there were students scattered around the classroom dressed in the standard black uniform and the white dress shirt. As I approached the front podium, the classroom chatter faded and I felt many pairs of eyes latching onto me. "Hello, my name is Mr. Munakata. I will be your teacher for the next semester. I hope we get along in the weeks to come."

A hand shot up in the middle of the room and I gestured for them to speak. "We already know who you are," The guy said, "You're Kyosuke Munakata, the Ultimate Student Council president. Also, you were the former teacher of that kid who blew up a gymnasium during the Main Course's exams. What are you doing here?"

"Did I not make myself clear?" I raised an eyebrow. "I am here as your new teacher."

A girl in the front raised her hand and I nodded at her. "He's asking why a former Ultimate is here to teach us. Usually the Reserve Course teachers are just regular people with teaching degrees. What is someone like you doing here?"

"All I can say is," I began cautiously, knowing that it could be bad if I said too much. "This is where I will be teaching."

"So they forced you to teach us as punishment," A guy in the back blurted out without raising his hand, "just because you let that one guy blow up part of the school? Must not be that good of a teacher."

A few of the kids snickered while I kept my face neutral. As the laughter died down, I exhaled slowly. "I think we should move on to the lesson plan for now. You come to a school to learn, after all. First, let's take attendance."

"Do the Main Course students also come here to learn?" A girl asked timidly, somewhere in the middle of the classroom.

"Of course," I replied, nonchalantly searching for the attendance sheet. It was scattered somewhere in the notes the previous teacher gave me… hopefully. "Although their curriculum may be different from yours, they still have to follow the basic learning principles."

"I thought Main Course students didn't have to attend class." A guy in the front said.

"While that may be true, I made sure all of my students attended class every day." Finally finding the attendance sheet, I placed it on the podium and looked out into the sea of blue faces. "And I will be holding each of you to that same standard. Now then, let's get attendance out of the way."

"After doing the necessary roll call, I pulled out one of the textbooks the previous teacher left behind and started flipping through it. "Everybody, please turn to page 67 in your textbook. We will be together as a class. If you do not have your book with you today, scoot next to someone who has one."

A girl sitting in the back by the windows raised her hand. After calling on her, she asked, "Did the Main Course ever have to read books like this, even if their talent didn't pertain to reading?"

"Occasionally, yes," I glanced at the teacher's side notes. "Your previous teacher wrote that you guys stopped at line 33, so that is where we will-"

"What do you mean by occasionally?" A guy sitting next to the girl interrupted.

I frowned at him as I answered his question. "To put it simply, we did not read every day, so we read occasionally. However, please refrain from interrupting class again. I would like to start the reading now, if you don't mind."

"But, we have so many questions!" A girl sitting by the door whined.

"I'm afraid they will have to wait. Now, starting at line 33, I will need a volunteer to start reading." A girl in the front raised her hand. "Go for it."

"Actually, I had a quick question before we begin!" I fought the urge to sigh as she continued. "If we get done with all of our reading today, will you tell us more about the Main Course?"

I glanced at the clock. Already, we had lost a lot of class time because of the Reserve Course's relentless questioning. However, there was still enough time to finish the reading. I turned back to the class and saw their expectant faces of anticipation, and I knew this was going to be a long semester. "If we have time left before class ends, I may answer a few more questions. But that means you have to stay focused until then. Is that understood?"

The silent nods of agreements looked more like energetic bobble heads.

***

"Hey," Yukizome called me after I was finished with classes. "How was your first day in the Reserve Course?"

I sighed. "I hope their behavior today does not become an everyday thing."

Yukizome let out a tiny chuckle, "That bad, huh?"

"It was nothing I couldn't handle, but…" I ran my hands through my bangs, "they had a lot of questions about the Main Course. I should have expected it."

"What kind of questions were they asking?"

"Basic questions, all of which involved the Main Course," I told her. "What are they like? What do they do? How does the staff treat them? It was like they were compiling their own research on the subject. Many of the students most likely never had any interaction with the Main Course until I came along. Even some of the teachers had the same inquiries as the students."

"I can see how that could be exhausting." Yukizome agreed. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, it's alright. Like I said, it is nothing I can't handle." I yawned. "Though, I would rather talk about something else if that's okay with you. How is Kimura doing?"

The last time I had talked with her was when she was sitting on that bench after being expelled. I was curious to see how she was doing at her new job. And of course, Yukizome was the only person who could tell me that

"She's fantastic!" Yukizome beamed. "That was a good idea, giving her an internship here. The drugs that she creates have really boosted the morale of the workers. They have a lot more energy than before, and it's showing in their work. Who knows? The new overseas expansion might be done sooner than you think."

I sighed in relief. "I'm glad to hear it. Does Kimura like it over there?"

"Uh-huh, I think she's more relaxed now that she's working in her element again. All of the employees love having her around. Not a single person has had a problem with her since she came here." Yukizome paused and I could hear the fondness in her voice. "It was really nice of you to give her this chance."

I smiled. "She deserves it."

***

Weeks went by in the Reserve Course, and the behavior was no different from the first day. Question after question I would have to answer. Boring person after boring person I would have to talk to. The Reserve Course people were all the same, with hardly any stand-alone traits. Yet, only two types of Reserve Course people existed. There were the quieter ones who were so enamored with Hope's Peak that they would ogle any Main Course person with sickening admiration. Then, there were the louder ones who let everyone know how unhappy they were being treated like crap trailing behind a goldfish. Despite the minor differences, both types got on my nerves pretty easily as time went on.

You would think hiding in the teacher's lounge on break would be a relief, but the teachers were just as bad as the students. Worse even, when you consider that teachers have authority over students but not over other teachers.

Luckily, the teacher's lounge was empty today, so I could eat my food in peace. And it was very peaceful. The hum of the air conditioner was much more soothing than the grating voices I was more accustomed to. It was all going well until the door opened and another teacher walked in.

"Finally got some peace and quiet, huh?"

"I looked up to see a man close the door behind him and open one of the cabinets hanging on the wall. Sighing, I put down my chopsticks, "It was peaceful and quiet."

"Sorry, I can't help it." The teacher chuckled, taking out a mug from the cabinet and setting it on the counter. "Even if you are desperately avoiding every human being in this building, I still need to grab a quick bite to eat."

I blinked. "Who said I was avoiding anyone?"

He shrugged, "No one, but I can tell how unhappy you are here. I imagine the relentless pestering of questions gets annoying."

At least someone in this building gets it. Returning back to my food, I let out a mirthless chuckle. "You have no idea."

"Honestly, I understand more than you think." He gave me a thin smile over his shoulder before turning on the coffee maker and filling his mug. "A lot of people kept pestering me whenever one of my students died, but they eventually stopped once you came along. I guess I should thank you for that."

"Hold on," I set down my chopsticks once more. "You wouldn't happen to be Natsumi Kuzuryu's teacher, would you?"

"I am… or rather, I was." The teacher responded, turning back to me with his mug in hand. "I'm the teacher of Classroom 1-A. You teach right across the hall, right?"

"1-B," I replied. If I had known that Kuzuryu's former class was right down the hall, I would have introduced myself to the teacher sooner. "Her brother was in my class at the Main Course. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." The teacher nodded, deep in thought. "She may not have been here more than a week, but it's still heartbreaking when something happens to your students."

"I imagine you had to go through the same thing when Sato died not long after."

"Huh, so you heard about her too." The teacher took a quick sip of his mug before continuing. "It amazes me how people from the Main Course can still remember the names of the people below them. U-Uh, no offense…"

"None taken," I told him, waving it off. "The only reason I remember their names was because of who they knew. Obviously, Kuzuryu had an older brother in the Main Course. Sato was friends with one of my other students, and I even ran into her once."

"Is that so?" The teacher blinked. He walked over to my table and sat down. "Why would you take notice of a Reserve Course student you only met once?"

"Because she knew one of my students; she wasn't the only Reserve Course student who mingled with the Main Course." I answered, taking a sip from my own mug. "Do you happen to know a student by the name of Hajime Hinata?"

"Yes, Hinata was classmates with Sato and Kuzuryu." The teacher gripped his mug tighter and pulled it closer to him. "He also disappeared not long after their deaths."

I nearly dropped my mug after hearing that. "Hinata disappeared?"

"I'm afraid so," He bowed his head. "Two days after Sato's death, Hinata just stopped coming to class. There was no reason behind it for a long time until about a couple weeks ago. I got an email from the committee saying that Hinata was expelled. It didn't specify why, but it just seems odd for them to say that after he stopped coming to class. I just assumed he dropped out." The teacher shuddered. "I can only hope that they don't find his body like they did with the other two."

This newly discovered news makes me think about Nanami. She never said anything about Hinata's leaving, but she would always sit by the fountain where they used to play. I noticed that Hinata was not always with her, but I wish I would have given it more thought. If only Nanami told me about it before it was too late…

"You knew Hinata pretty well, didn't you?" The teacher asked, gazing at me a little sheepishly. "I can tell by the look on your face. You can't fake that kind of sadness."

"I…" I had only talked to him twice, was what I was going to say. But, in some strange way, I felt like I knew him longer than that. Even if there were only two conversations, both of them meant something. Part of that had to do with my investigation, of course, but there was more to it than that. In a way, I guess I felt responsible for him… as if he were one of my own students.

"He was a good kid." I said simply.

***

After speaking with the teacher about his students, I did some research on the Reserve Course. There had to be another reason why Hinata went missing. The Reserve Course was getting more and more interesting by the moment.

Searching the databases provided to the Reserve Course, I found basic information about their finances. It turns out that their funding was not going towards school renovations or club funding. In reality, the funds were put towards the research efforts of something called the "Kamukura Project." The articles never went further into what kind of research project it was, but it had to be important. They wouldn't name any ordinary project after the founder of Hope's Peak, Izuru Kamukura.

There was no way for me to find out more about the Kamukura Project on these computers. They wouldn't leave such valuable information on a Reserve Course teacher's desktop. Still, gaining access to the Kamukura Project would not be easy. The only people who had access to the research project would be the board of trustees and Principal Kirigiri. In order to investigate this peculiar project, I had to obtain a trustee's ID.

It was harder getting back to the Main Course building, so I never really saw Sakakura that much. Fortunately, I did run into him one day and ordered him to find me one of the trustee's ID. He would have a better chance of finding one, given that he is head of security. He was a little reluctant to agree but, after some careful consideration, he punched the inside of his palm and said, "Leave it to me."

My time in the Reserve Course was the same boring thing every day, but it soon came to an end. The last day of the semester finally came and I had my final class. The students were the same as usual up until the last few minutes.

"This is our final day together, it seems." I addressed them, glancing around the classroom with a thin smile. "Next year, you will be second year students at Hope's Peak. You have survived a year at this school, which is something that your friends back home will never be able to take away from you."

"Yeah, but we're still Reserve Course nobodies," Groaned a guy in the front row.

"Focus on the positive." I told him and the rest of the class. "You are a part of the Hope's Peak alumni; even as a Reserve Course student, that title still has notoriety to it. It may not be as much as the Main Course, but it still holds value."

A girl raised her hand and I called on her. "What will happen to you Mr. Munakata? Are you going to stay in the Reserve Course or are you going to head back to the Main Course?"

"Well," I took a deep breath, "I will have to wait until Principal Kirigiri makes a decision. Until then, I cannot give you a clearer answer."

"If you come back, will you teach us?" A guy towards the back asked.

"Dumbass, he just said he won't know until the principal says so!" Said a guy next to him, disapprovingly. "Weren't you paying attention?"

"S-Sorry," The guy started to shrink in his seat. For a brief second, I was reminded of Tsumiki and her constant self-deprecation.

I guess I really missed the Main Course that much.

As the bell rang, the students got up from their desks and exited the classroom, biding me farewells along the way. I waved to them as I gathered my notes, but did not pay them any more attention than that. In the process of gathering my stuff, a girl stopped by my desk and waited for me to address her.

I looked up. Her face is very unfamiliar, and I do not remember her ever speaking up in class. Or maybe I just never really noticed. Like Sakakura said after running into Hinata, the Reserve Course students really do look alike. "Yes?"

"Um, I'm very sorry to bother you on your last day," The girl began, "but I just want to say thank you for putting up with us for the semester. It must have been very difficult."

"Not at all," I shook my head, "being a former Student Council president helps prepare you for many different types of people." I paused, realizing that maybe that was a bit harsh. "What I mean by this is that I am prepared for any group of people that I have to lead." The girl kept staring at me. I was probably still too harsh. "Compared to the Main Course, you guys were a lot easier to handle. I'm proud of all of you for putting up with me for the semester."

"Really?" The girl beamed, before letting out an embarrassed sigh. "It's just that… I feel like we're boring in comparison to them."

She's not wrong, but I can't say that. "There's nothing wrong with being boring or normal."

The girl raised an eyebrow in confusion, "How?"

"In the case of the Main Course, if you have that many eccentric personalities in one room… it can be challenging. They all have different viewpoints about how things should be handled." A flashback of Mioda and Kuzuryu arguing over how to solve a math problem came to mind. Kuzuryu argued that they should solve for X first while Mioda suggested writing a song about the imaginary number's feelings. It was a fifteen minute argument that got resolved by Pekoyama running to the board and finishing the problem herself.

"And when something does not go their way or how they think it should go," I continued, "they get really stubborn. So much that they ignore the ideas of others for what they think is best."

"I see," The girl nodded, "I can understand how difficult that must be."

I gave her a small smile. "But that's what's different about the Reserve Course. It's easier for you to accept your strengths and weaknesses, which makes it easier to work together as a team. When put in a group, everyone gets the chance to shine even if it is not what you are destined to do in life. People have a lot of respect for that."

"So, it's important to be able to work with others as opposed to working by one's self." She summarized, taking it in. Then, she tilted her head to the side. "What about the Main Course? I-I mean, I'm sorry to ask about them, but how can they work with others if they're always so stubborn?"

"They just need to be reminded of what their goal is." I replied. "Any group working together always has a goal that they need to reach. Arguments can help people lose sight of that sometimes. But if everyone is motivated and determined to reach that goal, then the job will get done in the end."

"Then it sounds like they need you to help them with that." The girl grinned. She bowed at a 90 degree angle. "Thank you so much for being our teacher. I hope the Main Course gives you a warm welcome when you get back."

"Principal Kirigiri has not confirmed-"

"He will. At least, I think he should." The girl returned to a normal standing position and started walking towards the door. "As much fun as it was to have you with us, you belong over there. We will miss you, Mr. Munakata."

Before I could say anything, she gave me a quick smile before walking out of the classroom. After that, the room was completely silent. I thought about what she had said, and I part of me hoped it would be true. I meant what I said about the Reserve Course being easier to teach than the Main Course. While teaching the Reserve Course was a vacation, the Main Course was my true home.

***

The Reserve Course girl was right about one thing. Kirigiri called me into his office and allowed me to go back to teaching with the Main Course students.

"With your talent, I can't leave you playing around in the Reserve Course forever." Kirigiri gave me a small smile. "From today on, you are their official homeroom teacher. See to it that your students don't cause any other problems."

"My chest became light as I was overcome with joy. Answering the constantly irritating questions of the Reserve Course really takes its toll on a person's mental health, and I couldn't wait to get out of there and see the Main Course students again.

I practically, no, literally ran across campus to the classroom. Sliding open the classroom door, I was greeted with multi-colored confetti, the smell of fresh food, and cheerful faces.

"Welcome back, Mr. Munakata!"

Yes, it was good to be back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the liberty of using some of the lines from the episode to stay i character but the rest of the lines, and especially Munakata's lines, I created.
> 
> Okay, so not a whole lot changed this chapter, but at least Munakata had a few bittersweet moments of normalcy before Junko gets involved with the plot line. Yep, that's right, the despair train is chugging along and will be making its first stop on the next chapter.
> 
> Feel free to kudos or comment below. You don't have to, of course, but it provides motivation and happiness when you do. Until next time

**Author's Note:**

> I took the liberty of using some of the lines from the episode to stay in character but the rest of it, and especially Munakata's lines, I created.
> 
> Agh! I'm sorry. I always feel bad for the first chapter of these rewrites because I feel like not a whole lot changes. I promise that in future chapters, things will become far more drastic then what it seems right now; especially as we start entering the twilight zones before completely dark despair kicks in!
> 
> This chapter also turned out a lot longer than what I was expecting it to be and I didn't want to make it too long, considering how not much changed, so again, I'm sorry. I'm not too proud of this chapter but I promise that the future ones will be a helluva lot better so please stay tuned!
> 
> Please, feel free to kudos or comment. You don't have to, of course, but it provides motivation and happiness when you do! Until next time!


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